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Capt Amarinder flays Khattar over namaz remark
Khattar on Sunday had said that namaz should ideally be offered in mosques or at one’s home responding to right-wing protesters allegedly disrupting prayers by Muslims in 10 public places on Friday.
Taking a strong exception to his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar’s remark in which he advised members of the Muslim community to offer namaz only in mosques or at one’s home, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seemed to be trying to polarise communities in the country to garner votes.
“India is a republic governed by the Constitution. Neither Khattar, nor anyone else, has the right to dictate people on where they should hold prayers,” Amarinder said in response to a question during a press briefing.
Khattar on Sunday had said that namaz should ideally be offered in mosques or at one’s home responding to right-wing protesters allegedly disrupting prayers by Muslims in 10 public places on Friday.
On the Supreme Court’s decision to transfer the Kathua rape-murder case to Pathankot, Amarinder said his government will ensure full security for the victim’s family, their lawyer and others during the trial.
To a question on his government’s affidavit in the Supreme Court in the case against local government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Amarinder reiterated that cannot backtrack from the stand it has taken earlier in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
He said he hoped that the court will take into account Sidhu’s contribution to the country while deciding the case.
‘Take steps to restrict Ravi’s flow into Pak’
Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday urged the Centre to harness the Ravi-Beas waters, suggesting that a panel of experts be formed to work out ways to restrict the river flow from Punjab into Pakistan.
Responding to media queries here, the CM said he had not yet received the letter from his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar, but made it clear that his government will take every possible step secure more water for the state.
Khattar had on Sunday written to Amarinder to join hands in checking wasteful flow of the Ravi water to Pakistan in view of water crisis in both states.
Pointing out that melting of ice leads to rise in water level in the Ravi, Beas and the Sutlej, Amarinder said he had written to Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari suggesting storage of the excess water in dams in Himachal Pradesh to check its flow into Pakistan.
A government spokesperson said under the Indus Water Treaty, 1960, India has been allowed unrestricted usage of available water in the three rivers.
