All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said that if offering prayers on streets is considered wrong, the same rule should apply to all religions. Speaking at an Eid reunion event on Friday, he cited Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom, and criticized what he called a double standard in how religious practices are treated. Owaisi argued that objections are raised only against Muslim practices such as namaz and azan, while other religious processions and gatherings face no similar scrutiny.

He further questioned restrictions on meat sales during Hindu festivals, suggesting that if such bans are justified, liquor shops should also close during Ramadan. Owaisi accused authorities of deliberately creating controversies around Muslim rituals before major Islamic festivals like Ramadan and Eid al-Adha. His remarks came amid new administrative directives in several Indian states to prevent traffic disruptions caused by large gatherings.

In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently urged that prayers be conducted in an orderly manner, while West Bengal authorities moved Kolkata’s traditional Eid congregation from Red Road to Brigade Parade Ground to avoid road blockages.