News Desk
- Lawmaker questions restrictions on praying on rooftops
- Highlights discrimination towards Muslim minority
- Incidents of persecution of minorities on the rise in India
ISLAMABAD: India’s Samajwadi Party lawmaker Ziaur Rehman Barq on Wednesday said that restricting the community from performing prayers (Namaz) on roads and rooftops, is an attempt to snatch away religious freedom, according to Indian media.
The lawmaker criticised the selective application of restrictions on the Muslim population. Incidents of persecution of minorities are on the rise in India
“We oppose the restrictions on performing Namaz on the road because when the processions of other communities are taken out, they are not stopped. Then, what’s the problem with performing Namaz just for 10 minutes?” Barq said.
“Not government property”
The lawmaker also lamented the restriction of performing prayers on rooftops, arguing that it does not make sense since rooftops are part of private property and not any government property.
“Unfortunately, now there are restrictions on performing Namaz on rooftops. It’s a violation of our rights. Will appeal to the court regarding this. Rooftops are not any government property, it’s a part of a person’s home,” Barq maintained, according to Indian media.
READ ALSO: US Religious Freedom Panel Calls for Sanctions on India’s Intelligence Agency
The Indian lawmaker further said: “If a person cannot perform Namaz at home, then where will he pray? It’s an attempt to snatch away our religious freedom.”
“Fundamentally discriminatory”
Recently, a US commission’s report has detailed several issues affecting religious minorities in India, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which the United Nations has described as “fundamentally discriminatory.”
It also highlighted the enforcement of anti-conversion laws in multiple Indian states and the revocation of the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status.
