‘Prayer hall at platform a threat to the national security’: Right wing group writes to rly officials
Right-wing organisation Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) on Monday wrote to the Indian Railways regarding a Muslim prayer hall at the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station (Bengaluru central), calling it a ‘threat to national security’
Right-wing organisation Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) on Monday wrote to the Indian Railways regarding a Muslim prayer hall at the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station (Bengaluru central), calling it a ‘threat to national security’. The letter was sent hours after the members of the organisation stormed into the ‘prayer hall’ on Monday while people were praying inside.
HJS spokesperson Mohan Gowda in his letter to the station manager said that it is condemnable that the resting room of workers has been converted to a place of prayer by Muslims at Platform No 5.
“This is a very serious issue and a threat from the national security standpoint of view. Bengaluru KSR Railway Station is an important station in the state. Even though there are many masjids around the railway station, giving permission to perform prayers on the platform seems to be a conspiracy,” read the letter.
Allowing the prayer inside the railway station could lead to “chances of demands to convert this place into a masjid”, stated the letter. It further claimed that Bengaluru has been made a “haven of terror activities” pointing out that the National Investigating Authorities (NIA) had arrested West Bengal-based Adil Asadullah from the Bengaluru Cantonment station in 2018.
“In 2019, the NIA had arrested a terrorist, Mohammed Akram, from the Majestic Area (where the railway station is located) in Bengaluru. The police had arrested a Bangladesh-based terrorist, member of Jemaat-ul- Mujahideen, who was hiding in the Cottonpet Masjid in Bengaluru. Keeping this background, how appropriate is it to allow prayers on the platform? It is requested to take immediate action against those who have permitted the unauthorised place. Prayers should not be allowed at the resting room,” the letter added.
The letter also stated if no action is taken, there will be a severe protest.
A senior railway official, pleading anonymity, said that they have received the letter from the organisation but the claims made by them are unsubstantiated. “The prayer hall has been at the railway station for several years now and there has not been any problem so far. We also have a temple on the railway station premises. This is an attempt to create a political issue,” said the official. “Utter nonsense and factually incorrect,” said the official on the organisation’s claim that the railway station was a hub of terror activities.
In another development, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister V Sunil Kumar on Monday justified the banner saying only Hindu traders will be allowed at a local fair in Ullal in Dakshina Kannada district.
“Only those who worship the gods of this land are allowed to trade here,” proclaimed a banner at a temple fair in Karnataka last week. The posters were later removed by the police. Kumar said that his prime priority will be to ensure that the activists who displayed the banners do not face any problems.
Criticising the statement, Congress leader and former minister UT Khader said he has asked the officials to ensure that such problems do not get created in his constituency and a minister should not support such acts. “People of all religions visit the Ullal temple. I have demanded stern action against those who make such banners and those who print them. They should be penalised for such acts,” he added.
