Restrictions on Eid al-Adha Prayers Raise Concern Among Muslims in Parts of India

Restrictions on Eid al-Adha Prayers Raise Concern Among Muslims in Parts of India
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Reports from India indicate that Muslims in parts of the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, faced restrictions on holding Eid al-Adha prayers in public spaces.

According to Al Jazeera, mosque committees in Maliyana village in Meerut district, about 80 kilometres from New Delhi, asked worshippers not to gather outside mosque gates and to pray in shifts if mosques became full. The report said local police advisories urged Muslims to avoid public prayers, increasing concern among residents ahead of Eid.

The issue follows remarks by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who said Eid prayers should be offered inside mosques or designated places and not on roads or other public spaces. Muslim clerics in the state said arrangements could be made for multiple prayer shifts where needed.

Maliyana remains historically sensitive because 72 Muslims were killed there in 1987, according to Al Jazeera. The renewed restrictions have added to concerns among Muslims over religious freedom and the shrinking space for visible public expressions of Islamic identity in some parts of India.