Muslims Offer ‘Namaz’ in Narayan Lake Area in Chiplun (Dist Ratnagiri)

Mayor Umesh Sakpal promises to file cases against the concerned after receiving memorandum from devout Hindu activists   

Chiplun, 2 February – On 30.01.2026, Muslims offered ‘Namaz’ in the Narayan Talao area which comes under the purview of ‘Chiplun Nagar Parishad (Town Council)’. The citizens present there at that time told the Muslims that they should not offer ‘Namaz’ in a public place but Muslims didn’t listen to them. Taking a note of this incident, all devout Hindu organisations came together and submitted a memorandum to Mayor Umesh Sakpal on 02.02.2026, demanding legal action against the concerned people. Mr Sakpal promised to collect all the information and try his best to file a case on behalf of the town council, against the people involved in it.

Several devout Hindu activists including municipal councillor Nihar  Kovale, ‘Gourakshak’ Vikram Joshi, members of various devout Hindu organisations viz. Mandar Lele, Ajinkya Otari, Ankush  Awale, Ganesh Agre, Dr Hemant Chalke, Shilpa Inamdar, Supriya Shinde, Sarika Bhave, etc. were present to submit the memorandum.

1. Performing a religious ritual in a public place under the town council like Narayan Talao is a crime and it was a deliberate move to offer ‘Namaz’ there. The Muslims who offered ‘Namaz’, had carried the necessary things. The devout Hindu organisations have claimed that such action is a conspiracy to create communal tension in Chiplun and disrupt communal harmony.

2. Inquiry was also demanded to check whether any watchman appointed by the town council was there on duty and if so, why didn’t he stop them. It is a serious matter and inquiry should be conducted of the concerned employee.

3. The town council administration is also responsible for the incident and they should immediately lodge a complaint and initiate action through the Police on behalf of the town council against the persons offering ‘Namaz’, else, the devout Hindu organisations will stage agitations and the town council will be responsible for any law-and-order problem was created due to the same, warned the elected representatives to the town council directly and through the memorandum.

4. Later, the activists of devout Hindu organisations also called on Chiplun Police Inspector Mengade, and demanded filing of cases in the matter.

5. Local devout Hindus took a serious note of the incident and gathered at the town council’s office in large numbers and strongly condemned the incident.

Editorial Perspectives

• When is the Government administration going to recognise the mentality of Muslims and their strategy of first taking children to public places wearing  ‘burqa’; later, starting business like selling balloons, etc., at the same place and after sometime, start offering ‘Namaz’ and grab the place ?
• Today, a few men and women have come to offer ‘Namaz’. It  will not be surprising if thousands of them soon start coming here to offer ‘Namaz’ if no action is taken now.  
• Why the State administration has to be asked to take action against offering of ‘Namaz’ at public places and for causing inconvenience to citizens ? When will the administration take action on its own ?