UP MLA demands namaz room in assembly building

Following the allotment of a namaz room in the Jharkhand assembly, Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki requested a similar prayer room for Muslims in the Uttar Pradesh assembly building. He further urged the Speaker to consider it.

"I am an MLA for the past 15 years. Many times when assembly proceedings are going on, we Muslim MLAs have to leave the assembly to offer namaz. If there is a small prayer room in the Assembly, we won't have to leave proceedings. On many occasions, if you have a question in the pipeline and it is the time for "azaan" (prayer call), you can either ask the question or offer namaz," said Solanki. Solanki is a member of the legislative assembly from the Sisamau seat in Kanpur.

"Even at international airports, there is a room for "ibadat" (prayer). The Assembly Speaker can consider this, and it will not cause any loss to anyone," Solanki said. However, he has given no written request to the Speaker in the matter.

After the Speaker allotted a namaz room in the Jharkhand assembly building, BJP MLAs demanded a temple on the premises and disrupted proceedings for two consecutive days. The government must immediately revoke the "unconstitutional and undemocratic decision" on the namaz room, the saffron party said. However, both the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Congress welcomed the move.