The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court, while hearing petition of All India Muslim Personal law Board Executive (AIMPlB) member Arif Masood over offering of Friday Namaz at Kamal Maula Masjid, Bhojshala in Dhar, told the State Government to submit its reply over the issue on February 8.
The two member bench of the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court comprising of Justice PK Jaiswal and Justice JK Jain on Thursday while hearing the petition filed by AIMPlB executive member and former State Congress spokesman Arif Masood ordered the State Government to inform it that what steps have been taken by it to ensure peaceful conduct of Friday prayers by Muslims and prayers by Hindu Community as the Basant Panchmi is also falling on the same day.
The bench asked the Government that what measures have been taken by it for the peaceful conduct of prayers by both the communities and that what lessons it had learnt from the past mistakes made by it in the similar circumstances.
The petitioner has knocked the court doors with the plea that in 2013 when the similar conditions arrived the State Government failed to comply with the court orders as the Hindu activists refused to vacate the premises or to honour the arrangement of allowing Muslims to offer namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm.
Meanwhile, Masood talking to mediapersons in the State capital said, “Some organisations have announced to perform prayers of Basant Panchmi on Friday February 12 whereas Basant Panchmi is celebrated across the country on February 13. This step of the right wing organisations has created tension in the State. The Government seems to be under pressure of these outfits and is making arrangements to conduct Basant Panchmi prayers a day ahead that is on Friday only and that is why we don’t trust the State Government.”