Overenthusiastic cops prepone prayers at Mecca Masjid, MIM protests

Thousand of Muslims were deprived of the opportunity to pray at the historic Mecca Masjid on Friday, with hundreds missing the prayers altogether, after the regular timings of the prayers were preponed by the Masjid management, allegedly on the orders of Hyderabad Police Commissioner AK Khan.

Mr Pasha Quadri told INN that the prayers, which start after 1:00 PM every Friday, were allegedly preponed on the orders of Mr Khan, leading to worshippers coming from distant places being forced to miss them this time. The prayers began at 12:52 PM, 8 minutes ahead of the scheduled time.

The Charminar MLA alleged that the over-enthusiasm of the city police to maintain law and order had interfered with the religious affairs of the Minority Community.

The MLA said that he was initially assumed that the Masjid management had preponed the prayer time on its own but was aghast when Masjid superintendent Nayeemuddin told him that this was done on the orders of the police chief. Mr Pasha Quadri further said that this was corroborated by the Manager MA Mannan.

When INN tried to contact Mr Nayeemuddin about the preponing, he did not receive the calls. Repeated attempt led to him switching off the phone.

Mr Mannan said that he had seen some police officers talking to Mr Nayeemuddin before the prayers had begun.

Meanwhile, Mr Pasha Quadri said that though the people of the city had shown remarkable restraint and had collectively ensured peace prevailed in the city in the aftermath of the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Babri Masjid title suit, the police was punishing them.

He accused the police of interfering in the rights of the Muslim community to follow their religion in a peaceful manner.

The MIM MLA also charged the police of putting up barricades on the roads and lanes leading to the Masjids in the old city, effectively hindering their right to pray.

Mr Pasha Quadri added that such irresponsible acts by the city police were creating a sense of fear in the minds of the people and cautioned them to refrain from such acts.