New Delhi: Days after its opening, the Lulu mall in UP’s Lucknow is the midst of controversy over namaz in ‘open space’ and love jihad allegations by the right wing groups.
A group of unidentified individuals have been booked and cases framed against them for offering namaz inside the mall premises. The Lulu mall management took the initiative of filing an FIR against them.
A video of these people offering namaz inside the Lulu Mall went viral a day ago and created huge uproar as Hindu Mahasabha & other Hindu outfits demanded immediate halt to the practice and action against the management. They also wrote to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and UP police to take immediate action as offering namaz in public is treated as a crime in the state.
The FIR has been lodged at Sushant Golf City Police Station under Sections 153A, 295A, and 341 of IPC.
Namaz inside Lulu Mall, Lucknow …. even malls are not spared now ? pic.twitter.com/lES84Sqhuy
— Vikas (@VikasPronamo) July 13, 2022
Love jihad allegation against Lulu management
The Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha threatened that it would also start reciting Sundar Kand if the practice of offering namaz inside the mall is not stopped. The organisation also asked the Hindu community to boycott the mall.
The Hindutva outfit, in a statement, also accused the management of promoting ‘love-jihad.’ Its leading spokesperson claimed that out of those hired staff, 80% belonged to Muslim community while remaining 20% were girls from other faith. This was being done to promote ‘love jihad’, the group alleged.
Ajay Pratap Singh, Police Station in-charge of Lucknow’s Sushant Golf City told media persons that Hindu Mahasabha’s Shishir Chaturvedi had lodged a complaint regarding reading of namaz inside the Lulu Mall. He said that based on investigation, suitable steps will be taken.
