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Maharashtra

Mumbai Namaz Row: BJP Leader Kirit Somaiya Seeks Ban On Prayers On Public Roads, Sparks Political Row

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Mumbai, June 2: The debate over offering namaz on public roads has resurfaced in Maharashtra after senior BJP leader and former Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya demanded a complete ban on the practice in Mumbai, triggering a fresh political confrontation with Samajwadi Party leaders.

In a letter dated June 2, addressed to Mumbai’s Municipal Commissioner and Police Commissioner, Somaiya described the offering of namaz on roads and public spaces as a “serious problem” that requires immediate intervention from civic and law enforcement authorities.

According to Somaiya, prayers are regularly conducted outside railway stations and on busy roads, particularly on Friday afternoons, resulting in traffic congestion and disruption to public movement. He alleged that the practice can cause traffic delays lasting up to an hour and adversely affects the daily routine of commuters and residents.

“No group has the right to disrupt public infrastructure on a working day in the name of religion,” Somaiya stated, urging the Mumbai Police, Traffic Police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take responsibility and impose a strict ban on street prayers.

The BJP leader also referred to judicial rulings that restrict religious, cultural and political activities in public spaces such as playgrounds and gardens. He argued that permitting prayers on roads creates an undesirable precedent and undermines the principle of equal application of the law.

The demand, however, drew a sharp response from Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi, who accused Somaiya of adopting a selective approach towards the use of public spaces for religious activities.

“Muslims have never demanded a ban on religious events held on roads by other communities,” Azmi said. “Mosques are often overcrowded and the timing of namaz is fixed. Offering prayers is compulsory for Muslims, and some people are therefore compelled to pray on roads. The prayers usually do not take more than ten minutes.”

Azmi maintained that singling out namaz while permitting other religious functions on public roads would amount to discrimination. He argued that if authorities choose to prohibit one form of religious activity on roads, the same standard should be applied to all communities.

Meanwhile, in a separate development linked to Somaiya’s complaints regarding alleged encroachments, an unauthorised dargah known as Hazrat Sayyad Pir Baba in Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon, was demolished on Tuesday.

The action followed a complaint filed by Somaiya, who had earlier alleged that illegal structures were being erected within Aarey Colony and the adjoining Sanjay Gandhi National Park under the guise of a religious institution.

Maharashtra

The government should immediately withdraw the FIRs registered against schools in Mumbai’s slum areas, make them permanent by relaxing the conditions: Abu Asim Azmi

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Mumbai, June 24, 2026: Senior Samajwadi Party leader and MLA from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Abu Asim Azmi, raised the issue of private schools running in slums (slum areas) in the House during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. He has demanded that the FIR registered against the principal, secretaries and chairman of these schools be withdrawn immediately and these schools should be saved from closure. Addressing the House, Abu Asim Azmi said, “My constituency Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar is a very poor and backward area. Around 30 to 35 thousand children are studying in private schools here. The capacity of BMC schools in this area has been completely exhausted and there is a long waiting list of children for new admissions. In such a situation, these private schools are the only support for the education of poor children.

Key demands and points:
Relaxation of conditions and regularization

The conditions of the government for approving schools such as open space, playground, etc. are practically impossible to meet in slum areas. Therefore, the government should make special laws for these areas and regularize them. FIRs registered against the management of these schools in Shivaji Nagar and Deonar police stations The R should be withdrawn immediately. He said that the result of these schools is more than 90 percent and their educational standard is better than BMC schools. Here, teachers are teaching children for a meager salary of just Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 7,000. He added that there has been a delay in the formation of the committee. In the last meeting, the government had also assured to form an inquiry committee on this issue, but no committee has been formed so far. Abu Asim Azmi warned that if these schools are closed due to administrative action, the future of 30 to 35 thousand poor children will be completely dark. He has strongly appealed to the government to intervene in this matter immediately.

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Maharashtra

Fake BMC Deputy Commissioner Altaf Sheikh arrested

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Mumbai: Crime Branch claims to have arrested a young man who used to deceive people by posing as BMC Deputy Commissioner. The Crime Branch investigated the complaint of a 45-year-old man named Altaf Sheikh and found the complaint to be valid, after which the Crime Branch laid a trap and arrested him. He also used to use a car with a light. Apart from this, an identity card was also recovered from his possession, a fake sticker of the Government of India and a fake card were also recovered. The accused used to use an official visiting card and used to declare himself as BMC Deputy Commissioner. He was arrested from Malad in a car with a light. This operation was carried out by DCP Raj Tilak Roshan of Mumbai Crime Branch.

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Maharashtra

Murder in Mumbai local train over dispute over closing door during rain

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Mumbai: Tension has flared up in a sensational murder on a Mumbai local train. A passenger was stabbed to death by another passenger on a Mumbai local train. The incident took place at around 10 pm on Tuesday. Police said the deceased passenger has been identified as Mayank Lohar (22). The accused has been identified and six teams have been deployed by the Railway Police to arrest him. After this incident, once again the issue of travel safety has come to the fore. A person was stabbed to death on a Mumbai local train at around 10 pm on Tuesday, June 23. Police said the incident took place in a first class compartment. The incident took place between Borivali and Andheri stations. During heavy rain, an argument broke out over closing the door of the train and it escalated. During this, one passenger stabbed another passenger to death. According to Railway Police sources, after the argument, other people beat up the accused. The enraged accused took out a knife from his bag and attacked Mayank, killing him. The attacker got off the train at Borivali station before it stopped and fled. After the incident, the Railway Police has formed six teams to arrest the accused and the police have also started a search operation and search campaign.

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