Noida Police have instructed companies in the city’s industrial hub of Sector 58 to ensure their employees do not use the community park for any religious activity, including offering namaz on Fridays.
In a notice, police have also warned the companies that they will be held responsible for any violation by their employees.
“The administration has not given any permission to hold any kind of religious activity, wherein offering Friday prayers, in the park in Sector 58. It has been often noticed that some of your Muslim employees gather in the park in Sector 58 to offer namaz on Fridays,” Pankaj Rai, the in-charge of Sector 58 police station, said in the notice.
“Please ask all your Muslim employees not to offer namaz in the park. If they still go to the park to offer prayers, then your company will be held responsible for the violation.”Notice issued by police
Noida’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajay Pal Sharma, while speaking to ANI, defended the move and said the notice “was not specific to any particular religion.”
A few Hindu groups had allegedly complained to the SSP Noida that offering namaz publicly “disrupts harmony” in the area, NDTV reported quoting sources.
The companies, according to reports, have sought a meeting with senior Noida police officials for clarification on the matter, especially on the clause that threatens to hold them responsible for violation of the order by employees.
Speaking to CNN-News18, BN SIngh, DM Gautam Budh Nagar, said that: “Media report has created confusion. This order was issued on the basis of the application made by the local. As per the order of SC permission needs to be taken before offering any prayer at the public places.”
Order Draws Flak From Opposition Leaders
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal slammed the order, saying Adityanath had created an unsettled situation in the state.
"I don't want to speak much about it but I will just say that Yogi Adityanath has created an unsettled situation in Uttar Pradesh ever since he became the chief minister," he said, according to India Today.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on the other hand, was puzzled by how an MNC was liable for what their employees do in individual capacity.
Samajwadi Party (SP) spokesperson Sunil Yadav, while speaking to the media, said: "If this is not possible then a break should be given to them during working hours so that they can go and offer namaz at a nearby mosque. The people offering prayers at the ground must also be facing issues so it's the responsibility of companies to make such arrangements”.
‘Issue Should Not Be Politicised’
Meanwhile, UP BJP spokesperson Dr Chandramohan said that the issue should not be politicised.
"The local administration has taken this decision after complaints from locals. This is being done to avoid law and order issues. Since we have come to power, no incident of riots has happened. We have worked for the development of people belonging to every section of society," he said, as per the India Today report.
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