In the heart of India’s bustling cities and towns, something unsettling plays out time and again. When Muslims gather briefly to offer namaz on the streets — often out of necessity because mosques are too small to accommodate everyone — it is labelled a “law and order problem.” Media channels flash breaking news banners. Public figures decry it as a “nuisance,” a “show of strength,” an “encroachment.”
And yet, when major roads are blocked for hours or even days during Hindu religious processions like Ram Navami, Ganesh Chaturthi, or Janmashtami — often accompanied by deafening music, dancing crowds, and massive traffic jams — the narrative changes dramatically. Suddenly, public inconvenience becomes a “celebration.” The occupation of public spaces is rebranded as “tradition” and “pride.” Politicians endorse these processions and often participate in them, leading rallies and cheering them on.
This glaring double standard raises an uncomfortable but essential question:
Is the problem the disruption — or is the problem who is causing it?
If blocking public roads is genuinely seen as disruptive to law and order, then it should be unacceptable no matter who does it. If public inconvenience is truly the issue, the response should be the same — regardless of the community involved. But if outrage is selectively triggered only when Muslims are praying, then let’s be honest: the issue isn’t civic concern — it’s prejudice.
This is not about traffic. This is about bias.
“Namaz on Streets: Necessity, Not Choice”
Muslim prayer gatherings on the streets happen not as a planned show of power but out of pure necessity. On Fridays, during Eid and other major religious days, mosques overflow. Temporary spillovers onto adjacent streets are often carefully managed, with volunteers coordinating traffic and ensuring minimal disruption. These gatherings are peaceful, brief, and organized.
Still, every image of Muslims praying on roads is often used to fuel a negative narrative — portraying them as encroachers, “invaders,” or even “anti-national elements.” Media panels sensationalize the scenes. Political debates erupt. Statements are made. FIRs are filed.
On the other hand, massive religious processions, sound systems blaring until late hours, and roads blocked for several hours or days during Hindu festivals, are met with admiration. The inconvenience caused to commuters, emergency services, or local businesses is brushed aside as the “beauty of India’s culture.”
If civic sense were truly the concern, it would apply across the board — to every gathering, every procession, every act that disrupts public life, regardless of religion.
“Two Sets of Rules, One Country”
This selective application of law sends a dangerous message: that the same act — occupying a public space — is judged differently based on who is performing it. When laws bend for one group and tighten for another, it is no longer governance — it is discrimination.
Law enforcement often mirrors these biases. Peaceful Muslim gatherings face rapid crackdowns, detentions, and FIRs. Meanwhile, Hindu processions not only proceed without hindrance but often receive police escort and protection.
This imbalance fractures India’s secularism — the very principle on which our republic was founded. It deepens divides, erodes trust, and threatens the foundation of our democracy.
Selective outrage not only exposes communal biases but actively fosters them. It creates a hierarchy of citizenship where some citizens are treated with suspicion and others are celebrated — not for their actions, but for their identity.
“If Traffic Jams Were the Real Problem”
If blocking roads truly outraged the nation, then every incident — regardless of religion — would be met with equal disapproval. Every traffic jam, every blocked ambulance, every delayed commuter would be a cause for concern.
But the reality is different.
When a Muslim community briefly gathers for prayer, it is painted as a threat to national security. When a Hindu festival procession halts traffic for hours with blaring speakers and huge crowds, it becomes a moment of national pride.
This isn’t about traffic.
It’s about selective empathy.
It’s about choosing who gets the benefit of the doubt and who gets vilified.
“India’s Promise: Equality and Fairness”
India was built on the promise of equality — of “justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity” to all its citizens, irrespective of their religion. Our Constitution does not say that secularism is a favour to minorities. It states it as a foundational commitment to every Indian.
When we allow double standards to thrive, we betray that promise. We betray the idea of India itself.
The selective application of outrage not only damages the social fabric but also weakens our democratic values. It normalizes discrimination. It legitimizes hate. It gives cover to bigotry disguised as nationalism.
True patriotism lies in upholding our constitutional values — not selectively applying them.
“Call for Consistency, Call for Courage”
This open letter is not a defence of any one community’s right to inconvenience others. It is a call for consistency.
If public inconvenience is genuinely unacceptable, it must be unacceptable every time — no matter who is causing it.
If blocking roads is wrong, it is wrong whether done with prayers or with loudspeakers and floats.
If the law is to be respected, it must be applied equally — without fear or favor.
Selective outrage divides us. Consistent principles unite us.
If India is to thrive, we must choose the latter.
Enough is Enough
Today, I say: Enough.
Enough of the hypocrisy.
Enough of the selective outrage.
Enough of manufactured divisions.
Enough of betraying the secular promise of our Constitution.
India must belong equally to every Indian — Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, everyone.
We must hold our institutions, our leaders, and ourselves to the same standard of fairness — not one for some, and another for the rest.
If we truly care about public order, then we must uphold it consistently. If we truly care about India’s greatness, then we must honour the spirit of equality that gave birth to this nation.
Let us reject hypocrisy and embrace fairness.
Let us stand not just for our own, but for everyone.
Let us truly become what our Constitution dreamed we would be.
Because “Secularism is not a favor to minorities — it is a commitment to India itself.”
Only then can we truly call ourselves the world’s largest democracy — and, more importantly, the world’s fairest democracy.