Noida, December 26: Senior officers on Tuesday stoutly defended the SHO of a police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida who sent notices to 23 private firms, asking them to stop their Muslim employees from offering Friday prayers in a local park.
Citing a Supreme Court order of 2009, officials said there was a ban on unauthorised use of public places for religious activities. The notices, issued by SHO Pankaj Rai earlier this month, stated that a park of the Noida Authority was “not permitted” to be used for religious gatherings, including the Friday namaz.
“It is seen that Muslim employees of your companies gather in large number in the park despite being advised against doing so and despite the city magistrate denying their request for permission to use it for offering namaz,” the notices, addressed to the firm managers, read.
District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh and SSP Ajay Pal Sharma said the SHO was only carrying out his responsibilities. They clarified that no company would be held responsible for their staff’s personal activities, as mentioned in the note.
The SHO said the notices were issued on a complaint by residents of Bishanpura village. “The park has witnessed a rise in the number of people gathering for Friday prayers without approval for it. This is a well-thought-out conspiracy to use the public park for private and religious use,” the complaint read.
Source Tribune India
