The BJP MLAs in Jharkhand Monday embraced a unique way to oppose the Jharkhand government’s controversial decision to allow a separate Namaz room in the state Assembly. Before the session began for the day, the BJP MLAs on Monday sat on the stairs at the entrance of the Vidhan Sabha and protested against the decision by performing Bhajan Kirtan.
BJP Jharkhand took to its official Facebook page to share a snippet of a video where many BJP MLAs are seen performing Hari Kirtan and chanting Jai Shri Ram slogans as they dance to the tunes of traditional instruments like Dholak and Manjeera.
The BJP leaders also hold placards calling for the discriminatory order to be overturned and demanding prayer halls for other religions as well.
Terming the decision ‘unconstitutional’, BJP has also been demanding that a separate room should also be allotted to Hindus in the state Assembly to recite Hanuman Chalisa.
BJP leader Babu Lal Marandi said that the temple of democracy should stay as the temple of democracy only. He added that the allotment of a separate room at the assembly for Namaz is wrong.
Former speaker and BJP leader CP Singh has also made similar demands and said that a Hanuman Temple should be built in the Assembly premises.
Jharkhand Govt to allot a dedicated room to offer Namaz in state assembly
The controversy erupted after the ruling JMM-Congress government issued a notification dated September 2 and signed by Jharkhand Legislative Assembly Deputy Secretary Naveen Kumar by order of the speaker stating that a room will be allotted for offering namaz in the new assembly building. The order read, ” “Allotment of room number TW 348 as the Namaz Hall for offering Namaz in the new Assembly Building”. The foundation stone of the new Jharkhand Assembly was laid on June 12, 2015, after which it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019. This building is the first paperless Assembly in the country.
Presently, the 81 member Jharkhand Legislative Assembly has four Muslim MLAs. Two MLAs are from the Congress party- Irfan Ansari and Alamgir Alam. The other two – Dr Sarfaraz Ahmad and Haji Hussain Ansari – belong to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
The decision of the Jharkhand Assembly Speaker to allot a dedicated space for Muslims inside a secular institution such as Vidhan Sabha has evoked a strong response across the state.