Setting an example of communal harmony and brotherhood, a handful of people in India's Gurugram have offered private spaces to Muslims to perform their Friday Namaz (the weekly Islamic prayer).
Speaking to Sputnik, Sherdil Singh Sindhu, the president of the Sona Chowk Gurudwara, said he has offered the basement of the Sikh temple (Gurudwara) to his Muslim brothers so that they can offer their prayers.
"A gurudwara is a religious place, people of any religion can come and offer their prayers. The doors of our gurudwara are open to everyone", Sindhu said, adding: "We need to end this hounding".
Although the district administration has allowed Muslims to offer prayers at eight public spaces, Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti – an umbrella body of 22 Hindu organisations -- since September has held up protest banners and shouted down Muslims who gathered for prayers in the Sector 47 area of Gurugram. Over the next few weeks, this agitation spread to Sector 12 and other areas.
In October, some Hindu activists also submitted a memorandum to the Gurugram deputy commissioner, demanding that the district administration stop Muslims from praying in public. But the demand was not accepted.
Last Friday, on 12 November, a few Hindu activists also spread cow dung on the ground to stop Muslims from offering prayers.
Following the 12 November incident, 40-year-old Hindu businessman Akshay Yadav offered his private property - his home and vacant shop to a small group of Muslims in his neighbourhood for their prayers, the Indian Express reported.