BJP Opposes Decision To Reserve Room For Namaz In Jharkhand Assembly, Demands Temple Construction In Same Premises

“I am not against namaz room but then they should also build a temple in Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha premises. I even demand that Hanuman Temple should be set up there,” BJP leader C.P. Singh said.

Jharkhand Assembly/Former CM Babulal Marandi

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s decision to reserve a room for offering namaz in the new state assembly building has triggered a political row with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding that a temple should be built in the same premises.

“I am not against namaz room but then they should also build a temple in Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha premises. I even demand that Hanuman Temple should be set up there,” BJP leader C.P. Singh said.

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“If the Speaker approves, we can build the temple at our own cost,” he added.

Former Jharkhand chief minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi also expressed his disappointment with the state government’s decision.

“The temple of democracy should stay as the temple of democracy only. The allotment of a separate room at (Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha) for namaz is wrong. We are against this decision,” ANI quoted Marandi as saying.

The Jharkhand Assembly Secretariat has issued an order on September 2 stating that room number TW 348 in the state’s new assembly building will be allotted for the Muslims to offer namaz.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier on September 12, 2019, inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Jharkhand Assembly at Kute gram in Ranchi.

The foundation stone of the three-storied building, constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore, was laid by former BJP chief minister Raghubar Das on June 12, 2015.