Maharashtra: Namaz in Pune’s Shaniwarwada sparks uproar, FIR against 3 women, ‘purification’ done with cow urine

The offering of namaz inside Shaniwarwada in Pune has caused an uproar. As the video of the namaz went viral on social media, the police, seeing the controversy escalate, filed a case against three unidentified women who were offering namaz. BJP MP Medha Kulkarni and other Hindu organizations protested the offering of namaz. Hindu organizations even went to Shaniwarwada and purified the area where the namaz was offered with cow urine.

The MP called it an insult to historical heritage

BJP workers protested outside the Hazrat Khwaja Sayyed Dargah against the offering of namaz in Shaniwarwada. The protest was called by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni. She uploaded a video of the namaz being offered on her X handle and called the incident an insult to historical heritage. Seeing this post, workers from the Sakal Hindu Samaj and Patit Pavan Sangathan protested and “purified” the area with cow urine and cow dung. During this, protesters clashed with the police, creating a tense atmosphere.

What is in the viral video and what did the MP say?

According to the viral video, six to seven Muslim women are laying out mats and offering namaz on the upper floor of Shaniwarwada, while children play nearby and some tourists are also strolling by. A person filmed the scene and made it viral.

Medha Kulkarni tweeted the video and wrote in the post that Shaniwarwada was the palace of the Peshwas and is a historical heritage of India, and that offering namaz inside has disrespected it. Hindu society and Hindu organizations, Chalo Shaniwarwada!

Following Medha Kulkarni’s call for protests, the police cordoned off the area and sealed the disputed site. They also registered a case under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Rules, 1959.