BJP leader Raghuraj Singh has suggested that Muslim men wear tarpaulin hijabs with white caps this Friday to avoid being doused in colours while heading out for prayers on Holi.
This year, Holi’s festival coincides with Ramadan’s second Friday.
“For followers of Sanatan Dharma, Holi is an annual celebration, and expecting them to refrain from playing with colours in certain areas near mosques is not a practical solution,” Singh, who holds the status of Minister of State in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, told reporters on Monday night.
Drawing a comparison, he remarked that Muslim women cover themselves with veils, and mosques are often draped with tarpaulins for precautionary reasons.
His remarks follow a recent controversy sparked by a circle officer in Sambhal, who suggested that people uncomfortable with Holi colours should remain indoors and that while Holi is an annual event, Juma namaz (Friday prayers) occurs 52 times a year.
In anticipation of Holi, several mosques in Uttar Pradesh have adjusted the timing of Friday prayers.
