It's Owaisi versus Yogi: AIMIM chief issues 3-point argument against Uttar Pradesh police's companies-Namaz-accountability directive

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has hit out and claimed religious discrimination over the UP Police's directive to companies in Noida telling them they'd be held accountable if their employees were found offering Namaz in public places

Taking to Twitter, the Lok Sabha MP from Telangana contrasted the order with the UP Police's handling of Kanwariyas, highlighting how rose petals were showered on Kanwar pilgrims whereas in the case of Muslims, offering "Namaz once a week can mean disrupting peace and harmony." 

He inferred a message from this development which he worded as follows: "This is telling Muslims: aap kuch bhi karlo, ghalti to aapki hi hogi." (Do whatever you want, the fault will be yours)

Owaisi also pointed out what he clearly feels is a legal anomaly in the directive: "Also, by law, how does one hold an MNC liable for what their employees do in individual capacity?"

Here's the text of his tweet:

"UP Cops literally showered petals for Kanwariyas, but namaz once a week can mean “disrupting peace & harmony”. This is telling Muslims: aap kuch bhi karlo, ghalti to aapki hi hogi. Also, by law, how does one hold an MNC liable for what their employees do in individual capacity?"

The directive asking companies to order their employees to not offer Namaz in open spaces, in parks and public gathering areas, was issued last week and then rolled back after public furore. Backtracking, the Police stated that the directive was limited to a particular location in Noida (Sector 58) and was not an umbrella order against any religion or against namaz in general.

Speaking to media, SSP Ajay Sharma said, "There was a permission sought for a religious prayer offering in an area in Sector 58 of Noida. The permission has not been given till now, yet, a number of people gathered there. The directive was issued in relation to this. This was not a religious order, but for everyone."

The Congress attacked the UP government in the matter, with former union minister Kapil Sibal saying:

"Since Yogi became the CM, he has created a tense atmosphere. This is only one of the several instances, but since he took charge, it seems the state is going through an uneasy situation. Till the time there is no peace in an area, there cannot be progress. And if there is no progress, people will not get the relief."