[Watch] Namaz Offered At Lucknow’s Lulu Mall, Objections Raised

New Delhi; Inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on July 10, Lucknow’s Lulu Mall has become a subject of controversy. Videos of a few people offering namaz inside the shopping arena have surfaced on the internet. The video is said to be dated July 12.

On Thursday, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha raised an objection and asked all the Hindus to boycott the mall, India Today reported.

Hindu Mahasabha’s national spokesperson, Shishir Chaturvedi said, “People offered namaz sitting on the floor in Lulu Mall, this video proves that government orders were violated in the mall. The government has directed that namaz cannot be offered in public spaces.”

Chaturvedi was further quoted as saying, “I will request chief minister Yogi Adityanath to take action on such incidents and ensure that it does not happen again.”

The Hindu organisation also submitted a written complaint to the Lucknow Police against the Lulu Mall over the viral video. A few social media users also expressed their anger over the people offering namaz. Some asked why they were being allowed to pray in the open and not in a designated prayer area.

One lakh people visited the mall on Wednesday. It boasts 300 retail shops spread over 2.2 million square feet with an 11-storey parking space.

According to the Lulu Group website, its MD is MA Yusuf Ali. The annual turnover of the group is USD 8 billion. The business of this group is widely spread in Arab countries, especially in the United Arab Emirates with its headquarters positioned in Abu Dhabi. The group operates in 22 countries located in the Middle East, Asia, America and Europe.