No tension should be allowed in the name of worshipping god: Naqvi

As a controversy erupted over disruption of namaz in public places in Haryana's Gurgaon, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday said prayer promotes peace and no tension should be allowed in the name of worshipping god.

His comments came soon after Haryana Minister Anil Vij said namaz could not be offered anywhere in the open "with the intention of grabbing land".

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also appeared to back Hindutva activists who disrupted the offering of namaz in public places, saying it should not happen in open space but rather in mosques or private space.

"Prayer promotes peace and not tension. Hence, no tension should be allowed in the name of prayer. According to provisions, prayers are to be performed at authorised places. The state government is sensitive (towards the issue) and the chief minister has also clarified that they are not against offering prayers. But if anybody is complaining, it is better to settle the issue amicably," Naqvi said.

Those offering namaz are aware of the rules in the Islam regarding where to offer prayers and hence, it was not right to fight over it, he added.

Hindutva outfits have been trying to "disrupt" Friday prayers in Gurgaon over the past two weeks claiming that some people were trying to grab land.

"Our point of view is that namaz should be offered in the precincts of religious places like mosques and Eidgahs, and if there is a shortage of place for offering namaz, it should be done at private places," Khattar had said on Sunday.

However, Khattar clarified that he did not speak about stopping anyone from offering prayers.

Vij has said if someone needs to offer namaz, he has the religious freedom to do so, but one cannot offer namaz anywhere in the open with the intention of grabbing land.