By TCN Staff Reporter,
Jaipur: The Muslim residents of Naurangsar and two nearby villages in Churu district of Rajasthan wanted to offer Eid prayer in an open, unused government land as their mosque was too small to accommodate all of them now. Some members of the local panchayat objected and then the district administration and panchayat functionaries engaged the local Muslims in ‘negotiations’ throughout the Eid day on 31st August. Result? They could not offer the Eid prayers.
“There was never any communal dispute here in our village. There has been full communal harmony and so we thought no one will object if we offered Eid namaz in the field as our mosque is very small,” Mumtaz Khan, a villager, told TwoCircles.net on phone. But as the news spread that the village Muslims are going to offer prayer in the field this year, some created rumors that they will capture the land for ever, and this moved the members of the majority community to get united and oppose, Khan added.
Muslim youths in Ram Nagar area of Jaipur
“We were ready to give them assurance in writing that we will use the land for just half an hour and go back to our homes. But the panchayat and administration intentionally engaged us in negotiations so that we could not offer the prayer,” Khan said.
Mr Nazimuddin, secretary, Rajasthan Muslim Forum who led a team to the village on 2nd September told TCN from Jaipur that the Forum will take the issue ahead as in months there will be Eid-al-Azha (Bakr Eid). “We will meet the DM and other authorities to ensure the local Muslims get space to offer Eid prayers,” Nazimuddin said.
Has the incident affected the communal harmony in the village? “Yes, the impact is visible. Some people from the majority community have called to snap ties with Muslims. They are calling to boycott purchase from Muslim shopkeepers and use of their vehicles,” Mumtaz Khan said. What’s its result on the ground? “To an extent, not much. For example, they are bound to use our autorickshaws because only Muslims are in the profession here,” Khan informed.
Keeping in view the coming Bakr Eid, Khan has written to District Magistrate and other authorities to provide land for Eid prayers.