Space for Namaz shrinks as 18 sites agreed upon in Ggm

Gurugram: After the months-long Namaz row in Gurugram, the district administration has now buckled under pressure from protesting Hindu outfits and decided to designate 18 spots for public Namaz — a proposal that has been agreed upon by both Hindu and Muslim communities part of the negotiations.

Till before the Namaz row was kicked up, the city had close to 100 spots designated which first came down to 38 in 2018, following which it dropped to 20 amid the row this year — after which now 18 spots have been decided upon.

While the Gurugram District Magistrate has gotten both communities to agree on 18 spots, the administration succumbed to demands of Hindu outfits — prohibiting Namaz at any of the spots where protests had erupted in the last few months.

Significantly, among these 18 sites, 12 sites are owned by Muslim groups in form of land of mosque or any land specifically used for religious purposes. The six other sites would be leased by Gurugram District Administration to Muslim groups for offering Namaz.

The 12 sites that have been decided so far are Jama Masjid (Sadar Bazaar), Idgah (Pataudi), Idgah (Rajiv Chowk), Chauma Gaon Mosque, Shanti Nagar Gurugram, Sector 57 Mosque, Sunheri Mosque (Atul Kataria Chowk), Devi Lal Colony Mosque, Sahi Alwardi Mosque, Sheetla Mata road Mosque, Idgah (Darbaripur) and Idgah (Badshahpur). All these 12 sites are Muslim-owned in one form or another.

The six places that would be leased to Muslim groups for offering of Namaz Atlas Chowk, Udyog Vihar Phase-4, Udyog Vihar Phase-2, HUDA land (Sector-69), HUDA land (Golf Course Road) and Leisure Valley ground. The Gurugram District Administration has also assured that they would free all the encroached mosques land for Muslim groups following which if required the number of public spaces would be reduced further.

While the following proposal has been accepted by Muslim Rashtriya Manch and Imam Sangathan, the Gurugram District Administration now is going to try to convince other prominent Muslim groups about this proposal.

"It is a good proposal and we do not have any objections to its contents. If the public space is being used it has to be done by paying rent and that has been highlighted in this proposal which is acceptable to us. I also urge the administration to free all the encroached mosques of the Muslim brother so that they can offer their Namaz peacefully over there," said Mahaveer Bharadwaj of SHSS.

"We have been given assurance that the administration would be freeing up our encroached spaces soon. We also do not have any problem in accepting this proposal. I hope that all other Muslim groups also accept this proposal at the earliest so that harmony between the two communities that has been affected by acrimonious issue can be sustained," Khurshid Raza of Muslim Rashtriya Manch.