Noida police have asked the companies and offices in the industrial hub to ensure that their employees don't offer namaz in public places including parks.
The police notice further states that companies will be held responsible if their employees are found offering namaz in parks, according to a report.
Over the past few months, the number of people offering namaz in parks in Noida has increased significantly. Hence, this is an attempt at maintaining communal harmony ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, said police officials while explaining the move.
The notice, which has been sent to all the companies in the Sector 58 area, asks the employees to offer namaz either in the office or mosques.
The order states the following:
“It has been often seen that the Muslim workers of your company assemble in the park to offer Namaz and I, the SHO, have told the group to not hold prayers in the park. Also, their plea to the city magistrate has not received any permission to do so…If employees of your company come to the park, it will be assumed that you have not informed your employees and your company will be held liable.
“Thus, it is expected from you that you at your level inform your Muslim employees to not come to the park to offer Namaz. If employees of your company come to the park, it will be assumed that you have not informed your employees and your company will be held liable.” Pankaj Rai is the SHO of the Sector 58 police station was quoted by timesnow as saying.