Over 500 people took to the streets near Shahi Eidgah in Meerut on Eid against the Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to ban namaz on roads.

The protesters, carrying posters and placards, alleged that the directive was biased against Muslims.

“Kya sirf Muslim sadko par namaz padhte hai? (Do only Muslims use the roads to offer namaz?)” a placard read.

“Hindu sadak par Holi khelte hain (Hindus play Holi on the roads),” read another.

“Kanwariye sadak par nikalte hain (Kanwariyas walk on the roads),” another poster said.

“Ramnavami yatra sadak par nikalti hai (Ramnavami processions are taken out on the roads),” the writing on a placard said, while another one stated: “Diwali ke patakhe sadak par jalate hain (Firecrackers are burst on the roads in Diwali).”

The Uttar Pradesh government had banned namaz on roads in 2019 and instructed police to enforce the order on Eid this year strictly.

Ayush Vikram Singh, superintendent of police of Meerut city, said: “We are following instructions. We have deployed force to ensure that nothing untoward happens here. There is peace all over.”

“People often reach the mosques late and sit on the road to offer namaz. We prevented any such thing,” the officer added.

Some Hindutva groups have decided to complain against the Muslim protesters to the chief minister.

“It is a decision taken by the chief minister and the community must follow it instead of reminding us how we celebrate our festivals. Their protest was against the Hindus. We are going to file a complaint against them with the chief minister,” said Sachin Sirohi, secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Sangathan.

About 130km north of Meerut, Muslims in Saharanpur offered namaz at several places wearing black armbands to protest against the Narendra Modi government’s decision to amend the waqf rules.

The Union cabinet recently approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, incorporating the changes recommended by the joint parliamentary committee, paving the way for it to be tabled in Parliament for discussion and passage.

In Moradabad, some youths chanted anti-government slogans near the Eidgah on Monday when police barricades prevented them from reaching the shrine in time to offer namaz. However, the police later made way for the devotees, and the chief of the mosque conducted a second session of namaz.

Satpal Antil, senior superintendent of police of Moradabad, said: “Everything happened here peacefully. There was no problem as people cooperated with the police.”