Chief of right-wing group detained for trying to stop Friday prayers at Sec 40 park

The Gurugram Police on Friday detained the chief of a right-wing group for protesting against Muslims offering Friday prayers at a local park in Sector 40

The Gurugram Police on Friday detained the chief of a right-wing group for protesting against Muslims offering Friday prayers at a local park in Sector 40.

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The Bharat Mata Vahini group was demanding that offering prayers in public parks and spaces be stopped.

Anticipating a law-and-order situation, the police said they had deployed a large number of personnel in the area at the time of the prayers. No untoward incident happened and the congregation offered prayers and left the park peacefully, police said.

A senior police officer, who was present at the spot, said they had detained chief of the group, Dinesh Thakur. “Thakur was detained as soon as he reached the spot. He had come alone and was not expecting the police to be present there. He was detained for around three hours before being allowed to go,” he said, requesting anonymity

A group of Vahini members, who reached the spot later, allegedly tried to create a commotion but left after they were warned of arrest. “We ensured that there was no confrontation. No one will be allowed to create trouble in the city in the name of religion,” the senior officer, quoted above, said. Thakur was later released, he added.

Thakur said they had submitted a memorandum to the Gurugram police on Thursday demanding that religious prayers in public spaces be stopped as they were against the rules.

“We had gone to the Sector 40 park to protest peacefully against this practice of offering prayers in parks. Why are Hindus not allowed to offer prayers or religious programmes in parks? We had submitted memorandums on Thursday but the manner in which I was detained was illegal,” said Thakur.

In 2019, there was tension in the city after a few Hindu groups opposed the Muslims offering religious prayers in public parks and spaces.

“This incident has come into our notice and we are working with the district administration and police to resolve all issues peacefully. We will hold discussions with everyone and ensure that there is no trouble in the city,” said Haji Shehzad Khan, chairman, Muslim Ekta Manch.