Thaindian News

Gurgaon, Dec 23 (IANS) Over-zealous traffic police officials in Gurgaon have raised the hackles of religious leaders after they made traffic violators swear on their respective holy books that they would abide by the rules. In fact, a Muslim organisation has threatened to take action.

The Jamiatul Mahim said it plans to issue a fatwa against forcing truck drivers to take oath on the Quran, a cleric said.

Hindu and Sikh religious leaders are also fuming at the exercise by Gurgaon Traffic Police (GTP) of using sacred books to make people swear by lane driving.

Gurgaon traffic police had launched a “Sensible Driving” programme on the expressway. As part of the drive, heavy vehicle drivers found violating rules were fined and then asked to take oath on their holy book.

Mushtak Ansari, a cleric from Delhi-based Jamiatul Mahim, said “Any type of traffic offence on the road should be treated according to the law. Our religion does not allow sacred Quran to be involved in such matters. We will take it up with the ulemas and a fatwa would be issued.

“.. it’s a very serious issue, we are going to take action,” Imam of Jama Masjid Mosque Gurgaon told IANS.

President of Gurudawara Singh Sabha Gurgaon, Santhokh Singh, also expressed his ire, saying, “I can’t believe this. There is a particular religious procedure to move the Guru Granth Sahib… We will certainly take strong action.”

The chief coordinator of ISKCON - International Society of Krishna Consciousness - here, Achyut Hari Dass told IANS: “Hands have to be washed before touching the Gita.”

An official from GTP clarified, “It’s an idea of the traffic volunteers and we are only supporting them.”

Traffic volunteer Amar Chauhan said: “We have made more than 50 violators swear by their holy books. Hope they will learn lane driving. They comprised Hindus and Muslims. The same procedure would be followed on Saturday too on expressway’s Hero Honda Chowk.”

He added, “We have arranged for a Gita, Quran, Guru Granth Sahib and Bible.”