Roads Blocked for Roza after Daily Budgetary Session

Muslim breaking ‘Roza

Mumbai, 11th March – An important budget session is going on in the State Legislative Assembly and there is tight security in and around the State administration building; however, very close to the main gate of this building, the public road is blocked for at least one hour daily for breaking ‘Roza’. Nobody has any objection to holding religious programmes of any community; but in a sensitive and VVIP area like the State Administration Building, blocking roads for citizens and creating law and order problems is a serious matter. If such tradition continues in future, other religious communities too can block the roads and hold their programmes, making it difficult for the Government to maintain law and order. In Dr Usha Mehta Chowk, outside the main entrance of the State Administration Building, the road on the side of Yes Bank is being blocked since the start of Ramzan, daily in the evening for breaking ‘Roza’. Many Muslims sit on the road around 6.00 p.m.; spread the mats and fruits for breaking ‘Roza’. The road is totally closed for more than one hour. The pedestrians using this road and small vendors in the area are facing problems.

A representative of ‘Dainik Sanatan Prabhat’ asked the vendors about it; but they prefer to keep quiet on this issue. It may be noted that due to the ongoing budgetary session of the State Legislative Assembly, there is a large Police staff patrolling in the area and on the road. The road is kept closed in front of the Police staff for this reason just a few steps away from the main entrance of the Administration building.

Editorial Perspective

Is it appropriate to block public roads and inconvenience people for the celebration of festivals of one religious community in a secular country ? Do Hindus get such facility ?