AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has criticised Noida administration's notice banning namaz in public spaces | Photo Credit: PTI

Noida: Uttar Pradesh police's notice to private firms, asking them to stop Muslim employees from offering namaz in a local park, has spiralled into a political controversy. A day after the notice, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government alleging that the UP police would shower petals on kanwariyas, but told the Muslims that whatever they did, 'it was their mistake'.

"UP Cops literally showered petals for Kanwariyas, but namaz once a week can mean disrupting peace & harmony. This is telling Muslims: aap kuch bhi karlo, ghalti to aapki hi hogi. Also, by law, how does one hold an MNC liable for what their employees do in an individual capacity?" Owaisi said in a tweet.

UP Cops literally showered petals for Kanwariyas, but namaz once a week can mean “disrupting peace & harmony”. This is telling Muslims: aap kuch bhi karlo, ghalti to aapki hi hogi.



Also, by law, how does one hold an MNC liable for what their employees do in individual capacity? https://t.co/b90Jw5ZMHY — Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) December 25, 2018

On Tuesday, a police station in Noida issued notices to 23 private companies asking them to stop their Muslim employees from offering prayers in a local park. Sector 58 Station House Officer (SHO) Pankaj Rai, who issued the notices, cited a Supreme Court order of 2009, which banned unauthorised use of public places for religious activities by all religions.

"It is often seen that Muslim employees of your companies gather in large number in the park despite being advised against doing so and despite the city magistrate denying their request for permission to use it for offering namaaz. Therefore it is expected of you to inform your Muslim employees at your level and if they still assemble at the park, then it would be considered that you have not informed them and held as the responsibility of the individual company," the notices said.

"We reaffirm that the 2009 Supreme Court order will be implemented in letter and spirit and request to everyone that if any such activity or a new activity has to be done in a public place then first take permission from the administration, otherwise it would be deemed illegal," Singh was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Meanwhile, Waseem Rizvi, chief, Shia Waqf Board, welcomed the decision and said that the circular was meant to protect Muslims from going against the law.

