Srinagar: The LG administration has disallowed Eid prayers on Monday at the historic Jama Masjid for the sixth year in a row, with Kashmir’s top cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, placed under house arrest.
In a statement, the mosque’s management body, Anjuman Auqaf, said that after Fajr (morning) prayers, police personnel closed the gates of Jamia Masjid in Srinagar and informed the Auqaf that Eid prayers scheduled for 9:00 AM would not be permitted at the mosque.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was scheduled to deliver the Eid sermon, was placed under house arrest, it said.
The Mirwaiz termed the refusal a “distressing infringement” of Muslims’ religious freedom.
“The continued prohibition of congregational Eid prayers, especially during important festivals, is not only deeply disrespectful but also exacerbates the sense of alienation and grievance among the people, exposing the authorities' tall claims of normalcy in Kashmir,” he said.
Earlier, the body criticized the Waqf for not allowing Eid prayers at Eidgah.