Syed Khalique Ahmed
NEW DELHI—The Gurgaon Muslim Council (GMC) and Muslim Ekta Manch (MEM) have rejected an agreement reached between the Muslim Rashtriya Manch(MRM)R, an RSS outfit, and the Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti (SHSS) regarding Friday prayer sites in Gurgaon.
Today, GMC and MEM announced their decision at a press conference at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. Sikh leader Daya Singh, Hindu social activist S L Prajapati and his wife Usha Prajapati, who attended the press conference, also supported the stand of the Muslims. Former planning commission (now Niti Ayog) member Syeda Hamid, Delhi University professor Apoorvanand and activist Shabnam Hashmi, also addressed the press conference. They said that the administration was doing injustice with the Muslims. They demanded that the administration and the state government should come out with a permanent solution to the issue of Friday prayers.
Addressing media persons, GMC representatives said that MRM was an extension of the RSS, and hence, it had nothing to do with the Muslims. However, SHSS has led the protest against holding prayers in government and open spaces like public parks.
MRM and SHSS had submitted a proposal to the district administration two days ago, stating that Friday prayers could be held at 12 mosques and six rented sites to resolve the dispute.
However, GMC representatives, including former Rajya Sabha member Mohammad Adeeb, businessman Altaf Ahmad and Mufti Mohammad Saleem of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) told media persons that MRM had not taken GMC’s consent before submitting the proposals to the administration. They said that the issue was not about holding prayers in mosques. The issue was about having prayers in public spaces because there are no adequate mosques in Gurgaon. The number of mosques in Gurgaon is not enough to meet the requirement of Friday prayers for over four lakh Muslims.
They said that it was GMC that represented Gurgaon Muslims, not MRM. Mufti Saleem said that GMC had repeatedly submitted to the administration that MRM did not represent the Muslims of Gurgaon. Yet, they received the proposals from MRM and announced that they would consider it. He said that over 150 “maulvis” led Friday prayers at different places in Gurgaon while MRM had just half a dozen maulvis with it. “How can a handful of maulvis decide on behalf of the Muslims to reduce prayer sites from 37 to zero?” he said.
Mufti Saleem said that the GMC that was fighting for the cause of Gurgaon Muslims was not informed about MRM and SHSS meeting. “This was a conspiracy and a fraud with the Muslims of Gurgaon. Therefore, we reject the MRM and SHSS proposals,” said Mufti Saleem.
GMC spokesperson Altaf Ahmad said that his organization had requested the district administration not to accept the recommendations of the MRM and SHSS because the proposals were against the interest of the local Muslim community.
Ahmad said that Muslims would offer prayers at 37 sites identified by the administration.
“What the MRM and SHSS have done is a conspiracy to snatch the fundamental rights of Muslims to pray,” GMC said. The GMC said that it was the responsibility of the district administration and the state government to understand the needs of the Muslim community and make appropriate arrangements for Friday prayers.
Ahmad said that the district administration, in 2018, had identified 37 sites and allowed Muslims to hold Friday prayers over there. However, in November 2021, the number of sites was reduced to 20 after the protest by SHSS against holding prayers in public spaces.
Haji Shehzad Khan of Muslim Ekta Manch (MEM) also rejected the proposals to withdraw from offering prayers in public spaces. “We reject the agreements done behind the closed doors,” he said. However, he stressed that Muslims would continue to offer Friday prayers at 37 sites identified by the administration in 2018.
Meanwhile, Khurshid Rajaka, national convener of MRM and coordinator of the Gurugram Imam Sangathan(GIM), told media persons that MRM had reached an agreement with SHSS in the interest of communal harmony. He said that MRM was ready to pay rent for private open spaces for Friday prayers.
In a letter to Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner, GIS has submitted a list of 12 mosques where Friday prayers are already held. It has also submitted a list of six public spaces seeking temporary permission for Friday prayers on a rental basis. MIS said it would also vacate the six public spaces when the administration made permanent arrangements for Friday prayers. Five GIS members signed the letter. Ironically, four of the signatories are from the same family.
It asked the administration to allow only Imams cleared by MRM to lead the Friday prayers.
