UP mosques to postpone Juma namaz timings on Holi day
Lucknow/Sambhal/Bareilly (UP), Mar 7 (PTI): Ahead of Holi next Friday, imam of Lucknow Eidgah has asked the mosques to hold the Juma namaz at 2 pm that day. He also advised Muslims to offer prayers at a nearby mosque, instead of going to a distant one.
In Sambhal, it was decided that Hindus would play Holi till 2.30 pm on March 14, and Muslims would offer namaz after 2.30 pm, said a senior police official. Seven companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have also been deployed in the city ahead of the festival.
The new directive comes a day after a circle officer in Sambhal kicked up a row by commenting that those who feel uncomfortable with Holi colours should stay indoors, as the festival comes only once a year, whereas Juma namaz takes place 52 times in a year.
In an advisory issued on Thursday, Imam of Lucknow Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said the mosques may postpone the Juma prayers, which is usually offered between 12.30 pm and 1 pm.
The advisory said, "This year, the second Juma of Ramzan is on March 14, which is also the day Holi will be celebrated. Hence, Muslims are advised not go to a distant mosque, but offer namaz at one in their locality."
Namaz at Jama Masjid Eidgah in Lucknow will be offered at 2 pm next Friday, instead of 12.45 pm, the imam added.
Sambhal superintendent of police Krishan Kumar on Friday told reporters that security has been tightened in view of Holi and the second Friday of Ramzan falling on the same day. Seven companies of PAC have been deployed in the city ahead of the festival.
He said complete peace prevails in the district and peace committee meetings are being organised at the mohalla level.
On the peace committee discussions, the SP said, "Talks were held with key people from both sides at the district level. It was decided that Hindus will play Holi till 2.30 pm and go back to their homes, and the Juma namaz will be held after 2.30 pm."
He said the Sambhal police is keeping a strict vigil on social media and people should keep themselves away from rumours.
Police outposts are being inspected, and an antenna has been installed at the Satyavrat police outpost. A district control room is being built on it, he said.
Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya told reporters that the city has been divided into six zones and 29 sectors. Magistrates have been deployed in all sectors.
Asked if mosques will be covered with tarpaulin, he said, "There is no such plan from our side. If the parties decide on their own, they can cover them. Both the parties have said they will celebrate the festivals with great harmony, coordination and peace."
In Bareilly, the president of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, appealed to imams to fix the Friday prayers at 2.30 pm on Holi.
The Juma namaz should be fixed at 2.30 pm in areas with a mixed population, while it need not be changed in localities with a predominantly Muslim population, he said, appealing to the imams and mutawallis of mosques to pay special attention to such things.
In a statement, Maulana Razvi advised Muslims not to come out on the streets for more than 3-4 hours. They should remain cautious if they have to go out for some important work.
He said the holy month of Ramzan should be spent with patience. "If a child or an ignorant person puts colour on you, there is no need to get into a fight. Go home and wash it off. Holi colours do not make your clothes impure," he said.
Sambhal Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary had courted controversy when, during a peace committee meeting held at the Sambhal Kotwali police station on Thursday, he said those uncomfortable with Holi colours should remain indoors, as the festival comes once a year.
The comment attracted criticism from opposition parties, which demanded action against him. They said the remarks showed "bias" and did not befit a police officer.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
