No offering Namaaz at public places: Noida administration

NOIDA: A police station in Uttar Pradesh's Noida has sent notices to 23 private firms asking them to stop their Muslim employees from offering Friday prayers at a local park, with the administration Tuesday saying that “unauthorised” religious gatherings will not be allowed at public places. Citing a Supreme Court order of 2009, officials said there is a clear ban on unauthorised use of public places for religious activities by all religions.

The notices, which were issued by Sector 58 Station House Officer (SHO) Pankaj Rai earlier this month, stated that a park of the Noida Authority in the area was “not permitted to be used for religious gatherings, including the Friday namaaz”. “It is often seen that Muslim employees of your companies gather in large number in the park despite being advised against doing so and despite the city magistrate denying their request for permission to use it for offering namaaz,” the notices, addressed to the managers of the firms, said. “Therefore it is expected of you to inform your Muslim employees at your level and if they still assemble at the park, then it would be considered that you have not informed them and held as responsibility of the individual company,” the notes stated.

At a press conference on Tuesday, District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh and SP Ajay Pal Sharma said that the police official concerned was only carrying out his responsibilities.