Jharkhand: Police use water cannons on BJP protesters amid namaz hall row

A row broke out in Jharkhand after the assembly speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto dedicated allotted room number TW 348 in the assembly for offering namaaz.

Police on Wednesday used water cannons against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers protesting against the allotment of a room for offering namaaz on the premises of the Jharkhand legislative assembly. During the demonstration, the MLAs sat at the entrance of the assembly and chanted Hanuman Chalisa. They also held placards reading 'Hare Ram' to protest against the decision.

Police personnel use lathicharge on BJP protesters during Jharkhand Assembly march as they protest against Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato after allotting a room in the Jharkhand Assembly House to offer Namaz. (PTI)

A row broke out in Jharkhand after the assembly speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto dedicated allotted room number TW 348 in the assembly for offering namaaz. The opposition leaders of BJP have been protesting against the decision, calling it "unconstitutional." They are also demanding a separate hall for chanting 'Hanuman chalisa', a Hindu devotional hymn in praise of Lord Hanuman, and places of worship of other religions in the assembly premises.

On Monday, BJP leaders repeatedly disrupted the proceedings by raising slogans. Some BJP leaders also trooped into the well of the assembly and shouted: "Jai Shri Ram" (Glory to Lord Rama).

On Tuesday, BJP MLA Hari Bhushan Thakur demanded a room to chant Hanuman Chalisa and said he will meet the Bihar assembly speaker to raise the demand. "All sections of society are equal before the Constitution,'' he said, according to a report by news agency ANI. "If a room is allocated (in the Jharkhand assembly) to offer namaaz in a secular country, why shouldn't there be room to chant Hanuman Chalisa,” he asked. Thakur represents Bisfi constituency in Darbhanga district.