Villagers in Gurgaon form 'khap panchayat' to boycott those objecting to namaz at public spots

People from a number of villages in the district have formed a "Sarva Khap Panchayat" and called for a "boycott" of those who object to offering of namaz in the open.

The group was formed in the wake of Hindu outfits disrupting offering of namaz at public spots in Gurgaon recently.

Members of the khap panchayat have called for "boycott of forces responsible for communal flare-ups" in the city.

They have also called a "mahapanchayat" in Jharsa village on May 27 to identify those disturbing peace.

We have called a mahapanchayat to identify those responsible for communal tension in the district and boycott them," said Mahendera Singh Thakran, the president of the Sarva Khap Panchayat.

Thakran said preventing people of a particular community from offering prayers cannot be justified.

"There are other ways to register objection after consultation with the administration and the police," he said.

"They way the members of Hindu organisations are forcibly stopping namaz and shouting slogans is actually disturbing," Thakran added.

Members of a Hindu outfit had prevented namaz being offered in the open at a number of places in Gurgaon last Friday after similar disruptions on April 20 and 27.

The Gurgaon police had arrested six people on the charge of disrupting namaz on a field in Sector 53 on April 20.