Dehradun, May 23 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that offering namaz on public roads would not be permitted in Uttarakhand and asserted that no one would be allowed to disrupt public order or obstruct roads in the state. Taking a firm stand on the issue, the chief minister said roads are meant for public movement and cannot be used for religious activities that inconvenience people. "We respect every faith, but no one can be placed above law and order. Roads are meant for movement of the general public and they will not be allowed to become a medium of obstruction or protest," Dhami said. The chief minister was present at a function held for distributing appointment letters to 473 candidates selected in the irrigation department and 10 candidates selected in the agriculture department. Dhami said that maintaining peace, discipline and orderly conditions in the state was a priority, especially during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, which is witnessing the arrival of lakhs of pilgrims from across the country. "Currently, the Char Dham Yatra is underway in the state and lakhs of devotees are arriving in Uttarakhand. In such a situation, maintaining a peaceful, orderly and disciplined atmosphere is the government's top priority," he said. Dhami said namaz should be offered only at mosques, Eidgahs and other designated places. He added that causing inconvenience to the public by blocking roads would not be tolerated under any circumstances. The chief minister also accused the Congress party of engaging in appeasement politics and alleged that certain people were supporting the practice of offering namaz on roads for "vote-bank politics". He, however, maintained that the state government's position on the matter was clear and uncompromising. Issuing a warning against attempts to disturb public order, Dhami said strict action would be taken against anyone trying to create "anarchy" by blocking roads or disrupting normal movement. "No one will be allowed to compromise the peace, culture and discipline of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Rule of law will remain paramount in the state," he said. Responding to the chief minister's statement, Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana alleged that the BJP and the state government were avoiding discussions on pressing public concerns and instead repeatedly raising issues such as "namaz", "madrasa", and "love jihad" for political purposes. Dhasmana said the allegation that the Congress supports offering namaz on roads was "completely baseless" and "an absolute lie". "The chief minister, BJP state president and party office-bearers do not answer questions related to the public's real problems. Instead, they repeatedly talk about issues like namaz, madrasa and love jihad in an attempt to divert attention from people's concerns. The public has now understood this strategy," said Dhasmana. He alleged that people across Uttarakhand, especially in hill districts, were facing severe hardships due to shortage of cooking gas cylinders, but the government had failed to address the issue....