Online Desk: Authorities in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh have imposed strict restrictions on offering Eid prayers on the streets, warning that anyone violating the order could face criminal charges, and their passports and licenses may be canceled.
According to Kashmir Media Service, this action comes ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid, expected to be celebrated on March 31 or April 1.
Meerut City Superintendent of Police, Ayush Vikram Singh, said that the police would not tolerate any prayers on the streets under any circumstances, and strict measures would be taken against violators. He further stated that those caught offering praying on roads could have their passports confiscated, their licenses revoked, and could encounter difficulties in obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for future passport or license applications.
In a similar move, local authorities in Sambhal, another district in UP, have issued directives prohibiting collective prayers on residential rooftops and streets. Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi reiterated that no prayers would be permitted on the roads and that collective prayers at private homes were also banned.
Last year, more than 200 individuals were booked for allegedly offering Namaz on the roads during Eid in Uttar Pradesh.
The police actions have drawn sharp criticism from political figures and social activists. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief, Jayant Chaudhary condemned the action, calling it “Policing towards Orwellian 1984!” Aazad Samaj Party MP Chandra Shekhar Aazad accused the police of making inflammatory statements about Muslims for publicity. He argued that the police do not have the authority to cancel passports and suggested that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh would soon need permission for even the most basic actions, including breathing.
While authorities argue that these measures are essential for maintaining order and preventing disruptions, many feel that such restrictions disproportionately target Muslims, while similar measures are not imposed on the Hindu community.
