Gurugram namaz row: Former MP seeks contempt action against Haryana chief secretary, DGP

Accusing the officials of ‘inaction against identifiable hooligans,' Mohammad Adeeb filed a petition in the Supreme Court.

In a fresh development on the issue of protests against Friday namaz in Gurugram, a former Rajya Sabha MP on Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking contempt action against top officials of the Haryana government over what he described as their ‘inaction against identifiable hooligans,' who, he alleged, disrupt the community's prayers Friday every week.

The protest against Friday namaz in open public spaces has been taking place in Gurugram since 2018. (HT Archive)

The petition was filed by former lawmaker Mohammad Adeeb against chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal and Director General of Police PK Agarwal, Livelaw reported. Adeeb is leading a 21-member delegation to resolve the ongoing impasse.

The petitioner submitted that as early as April 2021, those coming to offer namaz in the open, but designated spaces, have been subjected to ‘malicious’ and hateful ‘campaigns’ at the prayer sites.

“This nefarious design being given given effect to by propagation and dissemination of hateful content through social media 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.

The petition further stated that the contempt action has been sought as the authorities have failed to adhere to the apex court's 2018 directions in the Tehseen Ponawalla vs the Union of India case.

“The continuous inaction, apathy of the State machinery and failure of the local law enforcement agencies to prevent such incidents before these spiral into a monstrosity, is precisely what had been indicated by this Hon'ble court in Tehseen S.Poonawalla case, and is thus clearly a contempt of this Hon'ble court's directions,” the petitioner submitted.

In recent months, right-wing groups have escalated their protests against what they say is the practice of offering namaz in the open. Last week, Haryana chief minister ML Khattar said that namaz in public places ‘will not be tolerated.’ The Gurugram district administration, too, withdrew permission for Friday at 20 designated sites.