By Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — A video showing Muslims offering Taraweeh prayers inside an under-construction municipal building in Jyotirmath, Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, has led to controversy, with local Hindu organisations demanding action and clearer rules on the use of public property.
The incident took place in Jyotirmath, also known as Joshimath, in the hill state of Uttarakhand, often described as ‘Dev Bhoomi’. The video, which has gone viral on social media, appears to show a group of Muslim men offering Taraweeh prayers during the holy month of Ramadan inside a building that is still under construction and belongs to the local municipal body.
In the clip, the person recording the video can be heard saying that he will make it viral. He questions how permission was granted for prayers and alleges that Hindu gatherings do not receive similar approval. After the video spread online, some local Hindu organisations staged protests, claiming that “Sanatan is in danger” and demanding an inquiry.
A delegation reportedly met Sub-Divisional Magistrate Chandrashekhar Vashishtha and sought clarification on whether permission had been granted for the congregational prayers. The SDM appealed for calm and said the administration would examine the matter. “All communities must maintain peace and harmony,” he said, assuring that the facts would be verified.
Some residents have also raised questions about the use of public or government buildings for religious activities. They have asked the administration to frame a clear policy to prevent disputes in the future.
However, legal experts have urged restraint. Senior Supreme Court advocate Niyaz Ahmed Saeedi said that offering prayers temporarily at a construction site does not automatically amount to a crime. “If the building belongs to the government, permission from the concerned authority should ideally have been taken,” he said. “But such matters are more about mutual understanding and social harmony than about serious criminal law.”
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.
