Gurugram namaz controversy: Friday prayers will be offered in open at only 37 places

It has also been decided in the meeting that Namaz will not be offered in any of the disputed areas.

Muslim devotees offer prayers. Photo: Representational (AFP)

Gurugram: As the controversy over offering Namaz in open plots spikes in Gurugram , the city police and the relevant Muslim groups held a meeting in which they mutually agreed to offer Namaz in 37 open plots rather than 125 plots as demanded by the Muslims. Of the 37 places identified for open Namaz, 13 are government plots, while 24 are those identified for Idgaah or belong to Waqf board. It has also been decided in the meeting that Namaz will not be offered in any of the disputed areas and in the 37 plots where Namaz will be offered, tight police security arrangements will be made. After the controversy aggravated, the members of Muslim community held a meeting with the commissioner of Gururgram police. Earlier the Muslim group had demanded for 125 open plots where Namaz could be offered but only 37 plots could be fixed at the end of the meeting. While the right wing groups are vehemently opposing the trend of offering Namaz in the open areas, those belonging to the Muslim groups have been seeking police aid for their security. In less than a month, two instances of disrupting Namaz have taken place in Gurugram. The controversy started on April 20 at a field in sector 53 of Gurugram where few men had stopped people gathered for Namaz from offering it. The police had subsequently arrested six men in relation to this incident. This had sparked protests among the right-wingers. It was then followed by similar incident on May 4.