Meetings, cars, videos and invoking Khattar: How a group disrupts namaz in Gurgaon

Saturday, 18 December 2021Newsdesk

Strategy sessions through the week, cars and motorcycles to rush them around, and videos after every ‘victory’ — protesting against namaz at public places in Gurgaon now for several Fridays, the men in saffron robes have a standard operating protocol of sorts. Among them is a former wrestler, a “berozgar” who now goes by the second name “Hindu”, and a property dealer who sees himself as a social worker. Many claim affiliation to ‘Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti’ — a conglomerate of 22 Hindu right-wing groups.

New Delhi, 18 December 2021

As per news report of The Indian Express, This Friday, they are feeling further emboldened, by what they see as an “endorsement” of their protests: a statement by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar that namaz should not take place at public spaces. “Agar Bharat mein rehna hai toh Bharat Mata ki jai bolna padega (If you want to stay in India, you will have to say Bharat Mata ki jai),” says Amit, a familiar face now at the protests. A former wrestler, he claims to be part of the Bajrang Dal and the Youth Morcha president of the Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan, and says he has been associated with Hindu right-wing groups for 15 years. Wearing saffron, his long hair tied in a bun, Amit, 27, cites “Hindu” as his chosen last name. Having done BA from a college in Gurgaon, the Sector 45 resident says he “lost interest in studies” and started working full-time “for interests of Hindus”.

Source - The Indian Express