Mumbai Police should stop stopping processions in the name of Namaz: Somaiya!

BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya has written a letter to Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti demanding to stop the practice of stopping the processions of Ram Navami and other Hindu festivals in the name of Namaz, Mosque etc.

In a letter to the Police Commissioner, Kirit Somaiya has written, “In the last few years in Mumbai and Maharashtra, no Hindu religious procession is allowed to take place in front of the mosque. When the procession passes in front of the mosque, one is asked to remain completely calm and silent. The police is enforcing such strange rules. It needs to be reformed.”

He wrote, “This time, when the Ram Navami procession was passing through Ghatkopar, Powai and Chembur, the police officers there imposed strange restrictions in the name of rules and regulations. The procession was stopped as it was time for Namaz.

They were forced to remain silent near the mosque or at a distance of 200–300 metres. Many times a call is made from the mosque on an illegal loudspeaker, at that time the loudspeakers of the meeting or procession are switched off and the police give instructions to maintain silence.

Kirit Somaiya wrote, Police orders that the procession cannot go in front of the mosque. Whether the mosque is authorized or unauthorized, pressure is exerted to change the route. Even if a 100–200 feet mosque is government owned, the police bans Hindu processions, programs or public events.

Senior police officers clearly state that this is “SOP” and also explain the reason for such written/unwritten rules. At many places the police threaten the organizers and say that this is a written rule.

The BJP leader said, “In the Ram Navami procession on March 26, there was inappropriate behavior against the organizers at many places. The Sri Ram Navami procession was stopped for 45 minutes in the name of “Namaz” at Bamkhana, Ghatkopar. On protesting, there was rude behavior and threats by the DCP.

The entire truck including the speaker was forcibly taken to the police station in Nehru Nagar. The workers were subjected to abusive language and threats by the ACP. ACP gave an irresponsible statement that if Namaz will be offered 6 times then there will be a pause of 6 times.

Such illegal interference and obstructions that have been going on for years must be stopped. Police should be stopped from imposing false rules and restrictions in the name of mosque, namaz or unauthorized mosque for Ram Navami or other Hindu festivals.