Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has urged Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to ban namaz on public roads and government premises without prior permission.
Bengaluru
Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who was recently expelled from the BJP, has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging a ban on offering namaz on roads, footpaths, and government premises without prior official permission. His appeal follows the Karnataka Cabinet’s recent decision to frame rules restricting activities by private organizations, including the RSS, on public roads and government properties.
In his letter, Yatnal argued that the government’s restrictions on private and non-governmental entities should apply uniformly to all groups. He noted that people offering namaz in public areas and government premises without due authorization create obstructions to vehicular and pedestrian movement, inconvenience the public, and pose safety risks, thereby violating citizens’ fundamental rights to free movement and security under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
Yatnal stressed that there should be no special provisions allowing namaz in government offices or aided institutions, asserting that permitting such activities while restricting other organizational events amounts to selective enforcement and undermines governance credibility.
He requested that the Chief Minister direct deputy commissioners and police commissioners statewide to ensure no namaz is conducted on roads, footpaths, or government properties without prior sanction. Yatnal also suggested creating a clear SOP or circular under the Karnataka Police Act and traffic regulations to penalize unauthorized use of public spaces for religious purposes.
The MLA emphasized that uniform enforcement would uphold secularism, equality before the law, and public order, urging immediate action to ban public namaz to prevent traffic disruptions and maintain discipline while promoting inclusivity.
