Italian Government drafts a law to ban namaz in public places

(Credit : The Jaipur Dialogues)

Rome (Italy) – The ruling Brothers of Italy (FdI) party has drafted a law to ban namaz in public areas outside mosques. The Government will make this law by amending the urban planning legislation. It will prohibit transformation of public places into religious prayer sites or mosques. The Government has also drafted a law against conversion. If the Government passes this law, apart from mosques, there will be a ban on offering namaz in industrial establishments, warehouses, garages, places outside mosques, fields, roads etc.

Action against illegal mosques

If above law is passed, the Government will receive the rights to investigate all mosques in Italy. Through that, the information about funding source of these mosques, authorisation status will also be known. Unauthorised mosques will be closed after this law is passed. Many mosques in Italy have been built by encroaching on warehouses. Therefore, it has been mentioned in this law that if industrial centers, warehouses, garages etc. are used for religious purposes, a case will be filed with severe punishment.

Imam Sami Salem at Magliana Mosque in Rome said, “It is a Bill that clearly discriminates against Muslims and does not respect the Italian Constitution that protects all citizens living in Italy.”

Law against conversion

In the election manifesto, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had promised to introduce a law to stop mass illegal immigration of Muslims. Currently, the local citizens are suffering due to the influx of Muslim refugees in Italy and their conversion activities. Therefore, the Government has also drafted an anti-conversion law.

Editorial Viewpoint

If Italy can attempt to implement such a law, why can’t same be done here when more than 100 crore people in India are suffering because of namaz in public places ?