After the namaz row gripped Gurgaon, disruptions of Christmas celebrations and prayers are reported from several parts of Haryana.
Christ’s statue vandalised in Ambala
On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, a statue of Jesus Christ at the entrance of the Holy Redeemer Church in Haryana’s Ambala was reportedly vandalised by unidentified miscreants.
The chief priest of the Holy Redeemer Church said that to date no such incident had ever taken place at the historical Ambala church, which was built in 1843.
The church was closed early on Saturday on account of COVID-induced restrictions in the state.
He claimed that later at night, two people had climbed the church wall and vandalised the statue of Jesus Christ and then fled from the scene of the crime.
Police have launched an investigation are looking for culprits.
Christmas prayer disrupted in Pataudi
A group of men claiming to be right-wing activists allegedly barged into the premises of a church in Pataudi on the eve of Christmas and disrupted the prayers, according to a viral video.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening.
Police, however, said they have not received any complaint.
The video shows some men entering the church premises on Thursday evening and raising slogans ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
They are seen allegedly pushing the choir members down the stage and snatching the mike.
A local pastor told PTI, “It was scary as we had women and children around in the church. The nuisance is increasing with each passing day. It’s an infringement of our right to pray and religion.” Pataudi station house officer Amit Kumar said the police did not receive any complaints so far.
These incidents come amid an ongoing row about Hindutva groups disrupting the offering of namaz in public places in Gurugram. They have repeatedly blocked Muslims from gathering for Friday prayers in Gurugram for over three months now.