Freedom of religion maybe our constitutional right but the Titoli village in Rohtak district, Haryana, doesn’t even allow its Muslim populous to look Muslim, i.e., wear skull caps, offer namaz in public, have long beards, etc.
According to The Hindu, at a meeting on Tuesday, the village panchayat adopted an oral resolution asking the Muslim population to keep Hindu names. Around half-a-dozen police personnel from the Titoli police post were present at the meeting, the report added.
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According to Rajbir, a local Muslim leader, the community has agreed to follow the diktats in order to keep the peace. He told The Hindu, “Anyway, we have been keeping Hindu names since the Partition and do not wear skullcaps or keep beards. Since there is no mosque in the village, we travel around 8-10 km to Rohtak city to offer namaz on Fridays and other occasions.”
Deeming the diktats issued at the meeting “unconstitutional”, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Rohtak) Rakesh Kumar said that he will speak to the sarpanch in connection with the incident, the report added.
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At the meeting, it was also decided that Yameen Khokhar, whose house was attacked on August 22 following speculations of cow slaughter, has been barred from entering the village.
According to The Tribune, it was also decided that the panchayat will take over a one-acre plot of land, which is being used as a graveyard. Another piece of land will be offered to Muslims outside the village to bury their dead, the report added.
