Several human rights activists have condemned the continued incarceration of Faisal Khan, the national convener of the Khudai Khidmatgar, for offering namaz at a temple.
Khan was arrested from Delhi on November 2, four days after he had offered namaz on Mathura’s Nandbaba temple premises.
While initially the temple priest, Kanha Goswami, had said he was impressed with Khan’s knowledge of the Hindu religion and allowed him to offer namaz on the verandah of the shine, later he had filed a police complaint allegedly under the influence of Hindutva groups.
The rights activists held an online media conference on the occasion of International Human Rights Day on Thursday evening.
Sunita Viswanath of Hindus for Human Rights said: “Khan is a Muslim Gandhian peace activist. He was arrested because he offered namaz, which means Muslim prayer, in the courtyard of a Hindu temple.
“The truth is that the priest had invited him to pray there, but four days later the same priest filed a police complaint against him.”
Colin Gonsalves, Khan’s legal counsel, said his client had said he would go outside to offer namaz but the priest had insisted that he pray on the temple premises.
“Khan’s background establishes his credibility and the improbability that he would do anything to encourage divisions between communities... He has been visiting temples and has been received warmly,” Gonsalves said.
Documentary-maker Anand Patwardhan said: “We are in a very peculiar situation, an unprecedented one. So we can’t completely be sure that having a strong case means that we will win.”
A pre-recorded speech of Rajmohan Gandhi, biographer and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was played at the media conference.
He spoke about the history of the Khudai Khidmatgar, an organisation that works for social harmony and was founded by freedom fighter Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, and said: “Most Hindus would like their Muslim brothers and sisters to enjoy dignity and equality. I urge them to speak out and demand justice for Faisal Khan, and for all who are being denied their rights.”
