Skip to main content

Announcements, 10-man team as Jama Masjid tries to tackle TikTok craze


Since Tuesday, an announcement about the app TikTok being banned in the premises is being made almost every hour inside Jama Masjid. This comes after “at least five viral TikTok videos” shot inside Jama Masjid surfaced, including one that shows two women doing a handstand.


Since Tuesday, an announcement about the app TikTok being banned in the premises is being made almost every hour inside Jama Masjid. Notices stating the same are also being readied, and a team of 10 has been canvassing the area from dusk to dawn to “catch youngsters making TikTok videos”, Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, told The Indian Express. This comes after “at least five viral TikTok videos” shot inside Jama Masjid surfaced, including one that shows two women doing a handstand.

Movement restrictions have also been introduced. “During prayer time, that is five times a day, namazis and non-namazis can access the two small domes only through the main dome route. We want to restrict the area occupied by people, so we can keep a watch on youngsters making such videos as music is not allowed inside a masjid,” said Bukhari.

“I know about the TikTok craze amongst youngsters but never before had such videos being shot at Jama Masjid come to my notice. In the last one month, I have been told of at least five such videos. Whether it’s a temple, a mosque or a gurdwara, one cannot behave in this manner. This is a place of worship, it is not meant for such activities,” said Bukhari.

On Monday, a Facebook page about Old Delhi heritage, Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein, which is followed by over 62,000 people, posted the TikTok video of the two women doing a handstand on the premises. Another video of a boy dancing to a song emerged soon after.

The founder of the Facebook page, Abu Sufiyan (28), said: “I got the video on WhatsApp, and when I uploaded it on Facebook, some people sent it to members of the Jama Masjid administration.”

Apart from the hourly announcement, the Jama Masjid administration has formed a 10-member team to ensure TikTok videos are not being made inside. The team travels across Jama Masjid on two open e-rickshaws. “Today itself, the team caught three people making such videos. Earlier we thought it was just a selfie, but a closer look showed the app. Youngsters make these videos here and then go out and add background score. If we catch them, we ask them to delete the videos. If they don’t, we delete the app from the phone,” said Bukhari.

He said “foreign tourists have been more cooperative” and are usually not the ones making such videos. “Recently, a Japanese woman was making a TikTok video, and when the team told her guide it isn’t allowed, she deleted it immediately and apologised,” said Bukhari.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Gujarat: Six held for illegal lion show in Gir

The accused were detained by the staff of Junagadh forest division on Sunday while they were watching and harassing an Asiatic lion on the bank of the Hiran river in Mandor village on Sunday. Revenue areas are not considered part of the wildlife sanctuary. SIX Persons, including a juvenile, were held by the forest department on Monday after they were allegedly caught red-handed organising an illegal lion show in revenue area Veraval taluka of Gir Somnath district. The accused were detained by the staff of Junagadh forest division on Sunday while they were watching and harassing an Asiatic lion on the bank of the Hiran river in Mandor village on Sunday. Revenue areas are not considered part of the wildlife sanctuary. Dushyant Vasavada, in-charge chief conservator of forests of Junagadh circle, said that five of the six accused were formally arrested on Monday and produced in a court in Veraval town. Five of the six accused were identified as Aniruddha Nathani...

Army Rejects J&K Govt Order on 'Restricted' Convoy Plying, Operates Fleet

The officers claimed there were no consultations with the Army before the order on convoy movement for security forces was issued. Srinagar: The Army operated a convoy on Monday notwithstanding an order of the Jammu & Kashmir government that such movement of vehicles should take place only twice a week — Sunday and Wednesday — Army officers said. The officers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the order will hamper the operations of the Army. The officers claimed there were no consultations with the Army before the order on convoy movement for security forces was issued. "During informal talks, it was made clear to the state officials that such an order was not possible to implement," said an officer who is engaged in convoy movement. The state home secretary Shaleen Kabra on the directions of chief secretary B V R Subrahmanyam issued an order on April 3 in which civilian traffic was restricted on the national highway from Udhampur in...

Masood Azhar issue at UNSC headed for settlement, but no Apr 23 deadline: China

“On the issue of listing Azhar, China's position remains unchanged. We also stay in communication with relevant parties. The matter is moving towards the direction of settlement," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. Dismissing reports that it had been given a deadline of April 23 by the US, UK and France to lift its “technical hold” on the proposal to list Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the United Nations, China on Wednesday said the issue was moving towards a settlement. The development comes after reports said P-3 countries — US, UK and France — had fixed April 23 as the deadline for China to lift its technical hold in the 1267 Committee or else they would press for a discussion on the issue at the UNSC. You need to get clarification from the sources about where you get such information. China’s position is very clear. This issue should be resolved through cooperation. We don’t believe that any efforts without the ...