Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indore Municipal Council Chairman Munna Lal Yadav has clarified that reports suggesting permission was granted for offering namaz during the council meeting or that the meeting was broken for the same are completely incorrect.
In an official statement, Yadav stated that no such permission was given to offer namaz within the municipal premises during the council meeting. He further emphasised that no special break was provided for namaz.
He explained that, as per usual practice, a regular lunch break was taken between 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM during the council meeting held on April 4. This was a routine break and not related to any religious activity.
The claim that the meeting was broken or permission was granted for offering namaz is false, the chairman reiterated.
On the other side, Congress corporator Rubina Iqbal Khan, who was among those offering namaz, strongly defended her actions.
“So what now? Will they hang us for offering prayers? We went to pray, not to plant a bomb like terrorists,” she said, accusing the BJP of unnecessarily politicising the issue.
Defending her actions, Rubina Khan said, “I have been a corporator for 12 years and have offered namaz here before. This is not Uttar Pradesh; this is Indore, where Hindus and Muslims live like brothers. It was Friday, and offering Jumma prayers is mandatory. Had it been another day, I would’ve gone home to pray.”
