Senior RSS member Sunil Ambekar on Sunday said that even Muslim-majority countries do not permit offering namaz on public roads, amid ongoing debates in India over restrictions on prayers in open spaces.
Mr. Ambekar made the statement during a press briefing while responding to questions on how incidents in BJP-ruled States—such as FIRs over Namaz on roads, Iftar on a boat in the Ganga, or the Char Dham temples asking for ‘Sanatani’ affidavits—impact the RSS’s image.
His remarks come at a time when multiple state governments have imposed curbs on offering namaz in public places already, citing law and order concerns.
“When the government restricts Namaz on roads, it should be seen as a law-and-order decision, not a religious restriction,” he said.
Muslim groups, however, have pushed back against such curbs, arguing that they disproportionately affect Muslims, particularly in urban areas where mosque capacity is limited.
Friday prayers and Eid congregations often see large numbers of worshippers, leading to spillover into adjacent open areas.
Public spaces across India are frequently used for religious processions, festivals, and gatherings by various communities, including road blockades during celebrations or demonstrations.
This, the Muslim community argue, raises questions about whether similar standards are being uniformly applied.
Sunil Ambekar is the national publicity in-charge of RSS and the national organizing secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a responsibility he has held since 2003.
Speaking further on the recently highlighted temple-affidavit issue, Ambekar added, “Arrangements at places of worship are made for those who have faith in that religion.
In a democracy, if people feel these arrangements are not right, they can voice their opinion. We have media to raise our voice.”
