Gurugram: Hindutva leaders conduct Govardhan Puja at namaz site

Hindutva Image Courtesy:indianexpress.com

Just a few days after the Gurugram administration withdrew permission to offer namaz at eight public sites in the city, Hindutva leaders have tried many passive aggressive attempts to show dominance in many ways. The latest was an invite to controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) man Kapil Mishra to attend a Govardhan Puja at Gurgaon namaz site on Friday.

Not one to leave an opportunity to be in the spotlight Mishra, who has been presenting himself as a Hindutva leader, attended a Govardhan Puja, organised by the Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, at the Sector 12A Gururgam, at site in where Friday namaz had been taking place. He claimed this as a victory for the right-wing campaign to stop namaz being offered at designated public spaces. “There will be no namaz at public spaces, we have not taken the responsibility of where it can be held. Go anywhere else,” he told mediapersons at the spot. The prayers were conducted, later supporters chanted hindutva slogans.

हमें चाहिए आज़ादी
सड़कों पे चलने की आज़ादी
दफ्तर जाने की आज़ादी
खुले पार्को की आज़ादी
स्कूल, अस्पताल जाने की आज़ादी
आज़ादी आज़ादी #Gurugram pic.twitter.com/rsXt142ECR
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) November 5, 2021

Muslims had to cancel Jummah Namaz in Gurgaon because Hindutva goons organised Guvardhan Puja at the same site.
They have reduced their religion to mere Islamophobia.
How many Hindus out in Gurgaon showing solidarity to Muslims ? pic.twitter.com/29eAmUIW0X
— Mohammed Habeeb Ur Rehman (@Habeebinamdar) November 5, 2021

The public puja was held at the site where on Friday, October 29, namaz was offered under police protection. Gurugram police reportedly detained around 30 people who had been attempting to protest wherever Muslims gathered for prayers. Those arrested were released on bail the same day, stated news reports. It had been reported that, last Friday, Muslims offering prayer on a private property in Gurugram’s Sector 12-A “had to deal with a massive crowd that gathered shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans.” There was heavy police deployment in Sector 12-A as the area had seen such right-wing protests earlier as well. The SDM Anita Chaudhary had then said, “Everything is peaceful here. We have detained people who were here to disrupt namaz. We tried to negotiate with them over the last few weeks (but) have taken swift action today,” adding, “People have offered namaz in 37 designated places (and) full protection will be given to people who are offering namaz.” However, on November 2 DC Dr Yash Garg told the media that the administration “cut down the number of public areas being used for namaz and in reviewing other sites by talking to local residents and both communities. We will peacefully resolve the issue”.

This Friday, November 5, there was no namaz held at the empty plot, as the Muslim community had already announced that it will “not offer Juma Namaz at Sector 12A(only for this week)” thereby averting any clash that the right wing groups mayy have expected this week.

Just in:
Statement
The Muslim Community of #Gurgaon has decided not to offer Juma Namaz at Sector 12A(only for this week)as the vigilante groups are organising Govardhan Puja at the same spot of Namaz
Juma Namaz will happen at rest of the 36 places as they were happening before
— Zafar Aafaq (@ZafarAafaq) November 5, 2021

On Sunday, the Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, had announced the Govardhan puja that will be conducted to oppose namaz at all public places, reported Indian Express. According to news reports, some representatives of the Muslim community had agreed to relocate from the site “provided they were provided an alternative space or Waqf board properties were cleared of encroachments.”

However, on November 2, DC Dr Yash Garg told the media that the administration “cut down the number of public areas being used for namaz and in reviewing other sites by talking to local residents and both communities. We will peacefully resolve the issue.” According to a news report, the Hindu outfit Sanyukt Hindu Mahasabha has welcomed the move, but refused to defer or cancel its plans of holding Govardhan Pooja at the namaz site in Sector 12-A. It too issued a media statement to confirm that its “pooja will happen as scheduled. It is not against any community but our prayer gathering at public site.”