Amidst the continuing protests by Hindu rightwing outfits against the Bangladesh cricket team and the India-Bangladesh T20 match at Gwalior on 6 October, the visiting team players and staff members were not able to go to a mosque in Gwalior city to offer the Juma Namaz on Friday.

Sources said the visiting team had requested district administration authorities and police to take them to a local mosque for Friday prayers. The authorities had initially planned to take the team at around 1.30 pm to the Moti Masjid located in the Phoolbagh locality of the city. However, the team did not go to the mosque and instead offered prayers at their hotel only.

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According to Gwalior Zone IG, Arvind Saxena, the police had made elaborate security arrangements at the Moti Masjid for the Bangladesh team, but the visitors did not arrive. Subsequently, the Shahar Qazi went to the Radisson hotel, where the Bangladesh team is staying, and they offered the namaz at the hotel only.

Several Hindu outfits, including the ‘Hindu Mahasabha’ and the ‘Sakal Hindu Samaj’, have been protesting against the match for the past several days, alleging that Hindus are being massacred and Hindu Temples being desecrated in Bangladesh. These organizations in Gwalior have appealed to people to boycott the T-20 International Cricket Match between India and Bangladesh.

While announcing a ‘Gwalior Bandh’ on 6 October, the day of the match, the protestors said they would boycott the event. They alleged that on the one hand Hindus are being tortured and murdered in Bangladesh, while on the other this match is being organized, due to which the feelings of Hindus are being hurt.

The Gwalior IG , though said that the police and district administration are trying their best to maintain peace and normalcy. He said they have appealed to all people to let the match take place peacefully but if still someone tries to disrupt the proceedings or create any law and order situation, the police and administration would deal strictly with them.

The first T-20 match in the three-match series between hosts India and visitors Bangladesh is scheduled for tomorrow at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium at Shankarpur in Gwalior city of Madhya Pradesh.The reputation of union telecommunications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is also at stake with the match, as he has been the former President of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA).

Moreover, an international cricket match is scheduled to take place not only in his hometown Gwalior after almost 14 years but also in the stadium named after his late father and union minister Madhavrao Scindia who was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as well as the MPCA.

Jyotiraditya Scindia’s son, Mahanaaryaman Scindia is the present Vice President of the Gwalior Division Cricket Association (GDCA). Scindia Junior is also a member of the MPCA Executive Committee. Jyotiraditya Scindia’s ardent supporter Abhilash Khandekar is the current President of the (MPCA).