India: Muslim Prayer Room Removed from Mumbai Shopping Mall Following Protests by Hindu Nationalist Groups

India: Muslim Prayer Room Removed from Mumbai Shopping Mall Following Protests by Hindu Nationalist Groups
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A prayer room designated for Muslim worshippers inside Inorbit Mall in the Malad area of Mumbai, western India, has reportedly been closed and dismantled following protests by Hindu nationalist groups opposing the provision of a space for Islamic prayers inside the shopping complex. The incident has sparked debate over religious freedom and the right of Muslims to practice their faith in public and commercial spaces.

According to the Indian newspaper Millat Times, on Monday, November 2, 2026, the controversy began after a video circulated on social media showing two Muslim women wearing hijabs presenting the prayer facilities inside the mall and encouraging Muslim visitors to observe their daily prayers on time.

The women explained that the prayer room included separate sections for men and women, as well as ablution facilities, allowing Muslim shoppers and visitors to perform their prayers while inside the shopping centre.

The video prompted objections from Hindu nationalist groups, including Sakal Hindu Samaj, which reposted the footage on the social media platform X on October 30, criticizing the allocation of a space for Islamic worship in a commercial complex frequented by people of different religious backgrounds.

The objections were followed by protests outside the shopping mall, with demonstrators demanding the removal of the prayer room. On October 31, the group published another video that it claimed showed the dismantling of the facility, with images appearing to show disassembled structures and broken floor tiles.

Local media outlets, including Politics Daily and Millat Times, reported that the prayer room was closed and its facilities dismantled following the protests. However, no official clarification was provided regarding which party ordered or carried out the removal.

According to the reports, neither the mall’s management nor Mumbai Police had issued an official statement explaining the legal status of the prayer room or the reasons behind its closure at the time of publication. Politics Daily also reported that it had contacted both parties for comment but had received no response.