Row over namaz

ALL citizens should be equal in the eyes of the law, but there are times when some are more equal than others. A case has been registered against three women under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Rules, 1959. They allegedly defied restrictions regarding protected monuments by offering namaz on the premises of Pune’s historic Shaniwar Wada. After the prayer video went viral, BJP workers led by Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni and others staged a protest at the site and sprinkled gaumutra (cow urine) to ‘purify’ the place. It’s baffling that the Archaeological Survey of India and the police did not construe these actions as “prohibited activities” within a protected monument as per the rules.

Shaniwar Wada, a palace built by the Peshwas in the 1730s, was largely destroyed in a fire in 1828. Revered as the seat of Peshwa power, it is also a symbol of Pune’s history and culture. All that remains now are the fortification walls and massive doors. However, that’s no excuse for lax security on any day. The police have to be on their toes to ensure that miscreants, no matter which religion they belong to, don’t indulge in any unauthorised activity on the premises. Rather than waiting for the law enforcement agency to complete its probe, the MP communalised the issue and indulged in hate-mongering. Her objective seems to have been to send a ‘zero tolerance’ message to the minority community.

The incident has drawn criticism not only from Opposition parties in Maharashtra but also from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, which is part of the BJP-led Mahayuti government. Ironically, it was barely three weeks ago that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had laid stress on national unity and stated that diversity should not cause divisions. Both the RSS and the BJP should go all out to rein in rabble-rousers who threaten the country’s secular fabric. Letting the police work without any interference can be an important step in this direction. The virus of communalism, if allowed to spread in any city or state, can have dangerous consequences for the whole nation.

Editorials