Controversy over 'namaz at Lulu Mall' in Lucknow; Hindu group makes 'Love Jihad' claim

After the video of the namaz being offered inside the mall surfaced on social media, some Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha members staged a protest outside the gates of the mall. They also sought permission from local authorities to recite the Hanuman Chalisa near the mall on Friday.

The newly-inaugurated Lulu mall in Lucknow landed in a controversy on Thursday when a video purportedly showing a group of people offering namaz inside the mall surfaced on social media. A police complaint was filed by a right-wing Hindu group, which also staged a protest outside the mall.

The Lulu mall, owned by Abu Dhabi-based Indian-origin billionaire Yussuf Ali MA, was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi  Adityanath last Sunday. After the video of the namaz being offered inside the mall surfaced on social media, some Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha members staged a protest outside the gates of the mall. They also sought permission from local authorities to recite the Hanuman Chalisa near the mall on Friday.

Sishir Chaturvedi, who identified himself as the national spokesman of the Mahasabha, said that the mall authorities should allow people from other communities to offer prayers inside the mall. He further alleged that members of the outfit were not allowed to enter the mall.

The mall authorities refrained from making a statement on the namaz being offered but said that no kind of religious work was permitted inside the premises. 

Mall General Manager Sameer Verma issued a video statement in which he said that Lulu Mall respected all religions, but no religious work or prayer was allowed inside the premises. He also said that the mall's security staff and the floor staff had been trained to keep an eye out for such activities.

Police personnel from the nearby Sushant Golf City police station were deployed outside the mall to maintain law and order.

The complaint lodged by the Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha states that the namaz offered inside the Mall was against the state government's decision not to allow prayers to be held in public places.

Claiming 'Love Jihad', the complaint also alleged that 70 per cent of the mall's employees were men from the Muslim community while the remaining 30 per cent were Hindu community women.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Gopal Krishna Choudhary informed that the complaint is being examined.