Srinagar, Dec 13 : Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar has expressed deep anger over the continued house arrest of its head and Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, for the second consecutive Friday.
Auqaf in a statement issued to the news agency said that restricting Mirwaiz to his residence at Mirwaiz Manzil, Nigeen and imposing curbs on his religious duties are extremely distressing and violation of his fundamental rights and a direct interference in religious matters of Muslims.
The Anjuman said that the J&K administration’s hostile approach towards the Mirwaiz is very unfortunate and betrays its fears. Mirwaiz is being repeatedly detained as a punishment for raising public issues and concerns from the pulpit of the Jama Masjid, which is part of his responsibilities. Such actions reflect an authoritarian mindset and use of force to silence and prevent from seeking accountability.
The Auqaf lamented that the house arrest of the Mirwaiz, particularly on Fridays, prevents him from delivering sermons and engaging in religious discourse at the historic and central Jama Masjid Srinagar. This causes distress among the thousands of people who come to the mosque from different parts of valley to listen to his insightful sermons.
The Anjuman said that the unethical detention of the Mirwaiz and the prolonged imprisonment of thousands of Kashmiris in jails both within and outside the region will neither resolve issues nor alter realities.
Meanwhile, the statement added, the detention of the Mirwaiz for the second consecutive Friday has sparked protests in various mosques, shrines, Imambaras and spiritual centres across the valley. Prominent members and representatives of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU), a conglomerate of religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir strongly condemned the government’s actions.
The MMU members asked the authorities to desist from their policy towards the Mirwaiz, saying such actions are not only un-Islamic and undemocratic but also an attempt to silence the pulpit of the Jama Masjid under a deliberate plan. Such measures are unacceptable and must be reversed, they stressed.
