Former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb has moved the Supreme Court with a contempt plea against top officers of the Haryana government over the Gurugram namaz controversy. Adeeb alleged that the Haryana police and civil administration failed to take action against those who prevented Muslims from offering namaz on public grounds.
Adeeb sought contempt action against Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) PK Agrawal and Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal in the case.
Adeeb, a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member, alleged that the police and administration did not take action against hate speech over the namaz controversy. He also alleged that the administration failed to stop “identifiable hooligans” from creating communal tension by repeatedly blocking namaz in Gurugram.
Gurugram recently saw Hindu groups and local residents objecting to the offering of namaz on an open ground near a residential complex. While those offering namaz in the open ground claimed that it was a designated place for weekly prayers, those objecting to it insisted on stopping this practice.
Adeeb in his petition reiterated that permission to hold Friday namaz in the open was specifically given due to lack of space and facilities.
The petition said no strict action was taken against the unruly elements on December 3, when the Hindu groups objected to Friday namaz. It said the incidents escalated further and larger groups later went to other sites “chanting communally divisive slogans”.
The plea said that “continuous inaction, apathy of the state machinery and failure of the local law enforcement agencies and administration to prevent such incidents or to find a solution to the crisis before it spirals into a monstrosity, is precisely what had been indicated by this Hon’ble Court in Tehseen S Poonawala judgment”.
This story first appeared on indiatoday.in