Congress MP Pramod Tiwari emphasized the importance of religious freedom while urging that religious practices should not inconvenience others. He stressed the need for a uniform policy applicable to all religions in the country to address the issue raised by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding offering ‘namaz’ on public roads.
In a similar vein, Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput called for equal regulations for all communities and emphasized the necessity of impartiality in enforcing restrictions on religious gatherings conducted on public roads. Rajput highlighted the importance of a uniform policy that applies to all faiths, including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian communities.
The ongoing political discourse surrounding congregational namaz on roads ahead of Bakrid celebrations has sparked debates among various political figures. BJP leader T.R. Srinivas supported Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s stance, agreeing that prayers obstructing public movement and causing inconvenience to individuals of other faiths should be discouraged. Srinivas urged the Muslim community to utilize Waqf lands for such activities and emphasized the importance of following the laws of the land.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a strong warning against the practice of offering namaz on roads, emphasizing that the state government would not permit blocking traffic for such congregational prayers. He stated that while initial efforts would focus on persuasion for compliance, authorities would resort to other measures if necessary to uphold public order norms.
