![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/assests\/2026\/05\/Muslims-offer-prayers-in-Meerut-Uttar-Pradesh-in-May-2024-amid-growing-fear-and-anxiety-within-the-community-ahead-of-Eid-ul-Adha-1779794934.webp\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
New Delhi: As Muslims across India prepare to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha, growing restrictions on public prayers and increasing hostility from Hindutva groups have created an atmosphere of fear and anxiety, particularly in BJP-ruled states.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, Muslim communities in several parts of India, especially Uttar Pradesh, say they are being forced to rethink even routine Eid arrangements amid police restrictions, political rhetoric and rising incidents of harassment linked to religious identity.<\/p>\n
Reports indicate that mosque committees in many towns have issued advisories asking worshippers to avoid gathering outside mosques, refrain from arguments and disperse immediately after prayers to avoid confrontation. In several areas, local administrations have reportedly discouraged Muslims from offering Eid prayers in open spaces, citing law and order and traffic concerns.<\/p>\n
The situation is particularly tense in Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the BJP under Hindutva Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, where Muslims say public expressions of their religious identity are increasingly being viewed with suspicion.<\/p>\n
Muslims in Meerut, Aligarh, Lucknow and other cities said Eid, once associated with joy and community gatherings, is now accompanied by fear and uncertainty. Many families have reportedly advised younger members to avoid large congregations or visible religious attire to escape possible targeting or online harassment.<\/p>\n
Community members say the restrictions are not merely administrative measures but reflect a broader atmosphere in which Muslim religious practices are increasingly subjected to scrutiny. Mosque committees in several towns have been coordinating with police and deploying volunteers to ensure worshippers do not spill onto roads, even briefly during prayers.<\/p>\n
Muslim residents also expressed concern over what they describe as selective enforcement of rules. While restrictions are frequently imposed on Muslim prayers in open spaces, large Hindu religious processions and gatherings continue to receive official facilitation, security and traffic support.<\/p>\n
Rights activists and legal experts say such unequal treatment deepens feelings of alienation and insecurity among Muslims. They warn that repeated controversies over Eid prayers, hijab, halal food and azaan have collectively created a sense that Muslim identity itself is being increasingly contested in public spaces.<\/p>\n
Analysts believe the growing debate over Muslim prayers in public reflects a wider transformation in India\u2019s social and political climate under the Hindutva ideology promoted by the ruling BJP and its affiliated groups.<\/p>\n
The report is based on field accounts, interviews and observations published by Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Delhi: As Muslims across India prepare to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha, growing restrictions on public prayers and increasing hostility from Hindutva groups have created an atmosphere of fear and anxiety, particularly in BJP-ruled states. According to Kashmir Media Service, Muslim communities in several parts of India, especially Uttar Pradesh, say they are being forced to rethink …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":201722,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-201721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/assests\/2026\/05\/Muslims-offer-prayers-in-Meerut-Uttar-Pradesh-in-May-2024-amid-growing-fear-and-anxiety-within-the-community-ahead-of-Eid-ul-Adha-1779794934.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201721"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201723,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201721\/revisions\/201723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=201721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=201721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}