Human Chain of Harmony: Hindu Students Protect Muslim Prayers at Lucknow University

Human Chain of Harmony: Hindu Students Protect Muslim Prayers at Lucknow University
——————————
A remarkable display of communal unity unfolded at Lucknow when Muslim students were prevented from accessing the historic Lal Baradari complex after the university administration unexpectedly locked and barricaded its main gate, Muslim Mirror reported.

The Lal Baradari complex, an ASI-protected Lal Baradari Mosque built around 1800 by Nasiruddin Haider, houses a centuries-old mosque used regularly for prayers, particularly during Ramzan. Finding the entrance sealed, Muslim students peacefully offered namaz outside the barricades.

In a gesture widely praised online, Hindu students from groups including Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha (SCS), NSUI, and AISA formed a human chain around the praying students, symbolically protecting their right to worship. The moment, captured in viral videos, was hailed as an example of “Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb” and interfaith solidarity among students.

Protests followed, with students demanding transparency over ongoing fencing and heritage preservation work. Police were deployed to maintain order, but the situation remained largely peaceful.

University officials stated that the barricades were intended to protect the aging structure. However, students criticized the lack of prior consultation. Amid the tension, the defining image remained the human chain, reflecting solidarity, respect, and a commitment to communal harmony.