Companies To Face Action If Staff Offer Namaz In Parks, Say Noida Police
NOIDA: Public spaces such as parks can't be used for religious activities, the Noida police have declared and told multinational companies in Sector-58 to direct their employees not to offer Friday prayers in a community park. The notice also warns the companies that they will be held liable for any violation by their employees.
The companies, which have sought a meeting with senior police officers for clarification, also plan to approach the court against the order, sources told NDTV.
After the notice created a furore in Noida's industrial hub, the police went into damage-control mode and said that the notice isn't religion-specific.
Sources have told NDTV that a few Hindu groups had complained to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Noida claiming that offering namaz in the open "disrupts harmony" in the area. After that 58 police stations were instructed to notify these companies. Last week, at least 12 MNCs, including HCL, got the notice that specifically said "nobody is allowed offer Friday prayers in the park".
"It has been observed that some Muslim employees of your company go to Sector-58 park to offer namaz on Fridays. Please tell them not to do so. And if they still go to the park to offer prayers, then the companies will be held responsible for the violation," the order said.
However, Ajay Pal, SSP Noida, said the notice doesn't target any particular religion.
"Some people had sought permission to offer prayers in a park in Sector-58, but they weren't allowed by the city magistrate. And still a lot of people gathered there. The notice aims to discourage all sorts of religious gatherings," Mr Pal said.
Mualana Nauman, who has been offering namaz in Sector-58 park for the last five years, told NDTV that on December 14, the police told him and others not to offer namaz in Sector-58 park. But Nauman and his friend were arrested four days later even though they had followed the direction, he said.
"My friend Adil Rasheed and I were arrested on December 18 for disrupting peace and harmony, the police told us. We got bail on December 22," he said.
Earlier this year, right-wing organisations had disrupted namaz at several places in Gurgaon. The activists alleged that some people were trying to grab land in a bid to merge it with a mosque.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also said it wasn't right to pray in open spaces. But clarified he wasn't trying to stop anyone from offering prayers.
"If there is shortage of places for offering namaz, it should be done in personal spaces, inside homes," Mr Khattar added.
courtesy: ndtv.com
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National Synodal Assembly 2026 begins in Bengaluru with over 220 delegates
Bengaluru: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) on May 1 inaugurated its National Synodal Assembly 2026 at St. John’s Medical College, bringing together more than 220 delegates from across the country under the theme Synodal Pilgrims of Hope.
The assembly is part of the global synodal process initiated in 2021 by Pope Francis, which calls for greater participation, dialogue and shared responsibility within the Church. In India, the process has involved consultations at diocesan, regional and national levels.
Participants at the assembly include two Cardinals, 25 Bishops, 65 priests, more than 20 women religious, and over 100 lay faithful, including youth and women leaders.
The gathering began with a Eucharistic celebration led by Filipe Neri Ferrão. In his homily, he described the assembly as a moment of grace and discernment and called on delegates to walk together in prayer, listening and missionary commitment.
He spoke about the importance of the Risen Christ in the mission of the Church and urged the faithful to be witnesses of the Gospel. Referring to the conversion of St Paul, he said every baptised person has a role in spreading the message of Christ. He also highlighted the example of St Joseph the Worker, stressing the dignity of labour and the call to holiness in everyday life.
The formal inauguration included the invocation of the Holy Spirit through Veni Creator Spiritus and the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Deputy Secretary General Fr. Stephen Alathara welcomed the delegates and described the gathering as a spiritual journey.
In his presidential address, Cardinal Ferrão referred to the CCBI pastoral plan titled Journeying Towards a Synodal Church: Mission 2033 and called on participants to build on the vision outlined at the 36th Plenary Assembly held in Bhubaneswar in 2025.
Delegates will reflect on four key themes identified from 16 pastoral priorities: interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding, inclusion of the excluded, poverty and integral ecology, and support for children and youth.
The discussions are being conducted through a method of spiritual conversation aimed at encouraging listening, dialogue and collective decision-making. The focus is on translating these discussions into practical actions within the Church.
The assembly also looks ahead to the Jubilee Year 2033, which will mark 2,000 years of the Redemption, and aims to strengthen the Church’s mission in the coming years.
Further consultations are scheduled for September 2026, with the process expected to conclude at the 38th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI in January 2027.
Organisers said the assembly seeks to strengthen unity within the Church and promote participation of all sections, including women and youth, in shaping its future direction.
