With the ever-increasing number of cases of disruption of Friday namaz at several sites in Gurugram, a former Rajya Sabha member has moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against Haryana officials for failing to comply with the earlier directions of the apex court regarding measures to be taken to curb communal and violent sentiments that result in hate crimes.
Since September 2021, members of Hindu right-wing groups have been disrupting Friday prayers by the Muslim community in open spaces in Gurugram, despite these sites being designated by the state government for this purpose.
The right-wingers claim that Muslims offering Friday prayers in open spaces leads to traffic and even "harassment" of their women.
The petition, filed by former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb, has sought action against Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal and Director-General of Police (Haryana) PK Agarwal.
What Does the Petition State?
The petition claims that the Haryana authorities have failed to comply with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in the Tehseen S Poonawalla Vs Union of India & Ors case in 2018 to control and prevent the increasing number of hate crimes, including mob violence and lynching.
In the petition, Adeeb states that in the past few months, there has been a constant increase in the number of incidents revolving around the Friday prayers at the behest of certain "identifiable hooligans", who portray themselves falsely in the name of religion but seek to create an atmosphere of hatred and prejudice against one particular community across the city.
Adeeb further argued that the Haryana government had not taken enough measures to prevent such incidents in Gurugram.
"This nefarious design is being given effect to by propagation and dissemination of hateful content through social media platforms spreading false narratives, terming the performance of Friday Namaz, which is being done in the open due to compulsion and the same is permitted by the appropriate authorities in the circumstances as being illegal and in a manner of some sort of encroachment," the plea stated.
Adeeb further stated in the petition that local residents and people coming in to perform Friday prayers have been facing such issues at the sites of prayers since as early as April 2021. He said that several complaints had been filed with the Commissioner of Police in Gurugram. However, not only has there been inaction, the incidents have grown in intensity and number every Friday at several locations in Gurugram.
The plea further stated that since no strict action had been taken against the unruly elements, the tensions escalated further on 3 December, with a larger group being present at various sites of the namaz, chanting communally divisive and hateful slogans.
"While a considerable number of police forces were present, despite the same, videos emerged clearly showing such persons as having no fear of law. The police reportedly detained some persons from the mob, but the same were subsequently let off the same day," the plea stated.
"The continuous inaction, the 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 crises before it spirals into a monstrosity is precisely what had been indicated by this Hon'ble Court in Tehseen S Poonawalla (Supra) and is thus clearly a contempt of this Hon'ble Court's directions," the plea added.
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