Expelled BJP leader Yatnal urges CM Siddaramaiah to ban namaz on roads, govt premises

Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Friday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prohibit offering namaz on roads, footpaths, and government premises without prior permission.

His demand comes a day after the Karnataka Cabinet decided to frame rules, reportedly aimed at checking RSS activities, including marching on roads and holding events in public places and government premises.

In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Yatnal, who has been expelled from the BJP, said that the recent government decision restricts private organisations and non-governmental entities from using government properties, educational institutions, and public spaces for private or institutional purposes.

He added that the same principle of neutrality and fairness should be uniformly enforced across all sections of society.

''We have seen people offering namaz on public roads and government premises without obtaining due permission from the competent authorities,'' the letter read.

''Such activities cause obstruction to vehicular and pedestrian movement, inconvenience the public, and endanger pedestrians, thereby violating the citizens' fundamental rights to free movement and safety guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India,'' it further said.

He argued that there should not be any special provision to offer namaz in government offices or other government-aided institutions.

"Permitting such practices while restricting other organisational activities on public property amounts to selective enforcement and undermines the credibility of governance," Yatnal said.

He requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to issue appropriate directions to all deputy commissioners and police commissioners across the state to ensure that namaz is not conducted on roads, footpaths, or government premises without prior official sanction.

Yatnal also suggested framing a clear standard operating procedure (SOP) or circular under the Karnataka Police Act and relevant traffic regulations to penalise any unauthorised use of public spaces for religious purposes.

"Uniform enforcement of these measures will reinforce the State's commitment to secularism, equality before law, and public order. Therefore, in order to promote order and discipline, avoid traffic disruption, and ensure religious inclusivity, I urge you to immediately ban offering namaz in public places," the letter added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)