Dismissing the push against Muslims offering namaz on streets, Union Minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan has said these are “useless subjects” and the country faces several other major issues that need to be discussed.
At a Times Now event, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader was asked about his take on the opposition to namaz on the streets. “This is faltu (useless) talk. This should not even be discussed, it is meaningless. There are major issues in the country that we need to discuss. The problem is when we start talking about these irrelevant topics, an atmosphere of tension is created in the society and the country. Without any reason, rifts are created between communities and people. This is meaningless,” he replied.
Mr Paswan said people have been offering namaz on the streets for years. “If we were not talking about this, you would possibly be asking about what work I did as Food Processing minister. But these things would become secondary now.”
When it was pointed out that people in BJP, his ally, were talking about this, the minister replied, “But I don’t agree. That’s what I am saying. I am an educated youth from the 21st Century. We should not interfere in religious matters. It is a matter of personal faith. I threw an Iftaar party and I went there with a tilak. It is my faith. I won’t forget my religious values to respect your religion, but these are issues behind closed doors. It is a matter of personal faith. Some people follow a faith, others don’t. Many Hindus don’t have a tilak. Are they not Hindus? This is personal faith. Why are attempts being made to generalise it?”
“I am also talking about my allies. If you are saying they are doing it, I do not agree with this kind of politics. I believe that there are bigger things that need to be addressed rather than talking about Hindus and Muslims,” Mr Paswan said.
Namaz on the streets and other public places has emerged as a key political issue over the past few years. While one section opposes this and says religious customs should not be done in public places, others argue that one should not create an issue out of this unless such acts inconvenience anyone.
Of late, the issue has come under the spotlight after district administrations in some part of Uttar Pradesh adopted a strict approach against allowing namaz on the streets during Eid. This also comes against the backdrop of Muslim organisations opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill brought by the Centre.
Amid the district administration’s push against namaz on streets, BJP leader and MP Ravi Kishan said Hindus and Muslims must celebrate festivals without troubling the public.
“It is the responsibility of Hindus as well as Muslims, celebrate your festivals without troubling the public. All the scholars and Maulanas say that Namaz is accepted in the mosque. Who started this practice on the streets?” Mr Kishan told news agency ANI.
Senior Congress leader and former MP Husain Dalwai has criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s stand on namaz on streets and alleged it reflects “underlying hatred” towards Muslims.
“On Eid, Muslims traditionally go to mosques to offer ‘namaz’, but due to limited space, many pray on the roads. I want to ask, do only Muslims pray on the roads? During the Maha Kumbh Mela, roads were completely blocked as people gathered in large numbers,” he told news agency ANI. “The way Muslims are being targeted is unfair, and it reflects deep-seated hatred,” he said.
