Mumbai mall prayer room controversy: Hindutva groups protest after viral video, facility reportedly demolished

Millat Times Desk

02 November 2026 (Publish: 07:59 AM IST)

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A prayer room at Mumbai’s Inorbit Mall in Malad was reportedly shut down and demolished following objections and protests by Hindutva groups after a video featuring two girls showcasing the facility went viral on social media.

The controversy began after a video featuring two minor girls wearing hijabs showed the prayer room and encouraged people to remain consistent with their daily prayers. The girls described the facility as well-equipped, with separate sections for men and women and a designated wuzu khana (ablution area).

The video triggered criticism from right-wing individuals and organisations, who questioned why a dedicated space for offering namaz was available inside a shopping mall.

On October 30, the Hindutva organisation Sakal Hindu Samaj shared the video on X, questioning the provision of a separate prayer facility at a shopping centre visited by people from different religious communities.

“Is Mumbai on the path to becoming Pakistan? This is a matter of serious concern for every Mumbaikar!” the organisation wrote.

The group described the facility as a mosque or dedicated prayer space and questioned whether members of other religious communities could similarly practise their faith inside the mall. It subsequently organised a protest and demanded the removal of the facility.

On October 31, Sakal Hindu Samaj shared another video showing what it claimed was the prayer room before and after its removal. The footage appeared to show broken floor tiles and a dismantled section of the facility.

The video featuring the two girls attracted criticism from several right-wing social media accounts. Some users described the presence of the prayer room as an attempt to turn Mumbai into a “soft Islamic enclave” or Pakistan.

Sakal Hindu Samaj also raised objections to the facility, arguing that a shopping mall is a public space visited by people belonging to different religious communities.

The online backlash was followed by a protest at the mall, with the organisation demanding that the prayer room be removed.

Prayer rooms are provided in some shopping malls and commercial establishments to allow visitors and employees to observe their religious practices. Such facilities can serve people from different faiths and provide a space for worship without affecting the access of other visitors.

The incident has raised questions about the provision of religious facilities in commercial spaces and the growing controversy surrounding the practice of religious freedom in public places.