Srinagar, March 31 — Kashmir’s chief priest, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Monday condemned the authorities' decision to bar Eid prayers at Srinagar’s Eidgah, calling it an oppressive measure.
He also claimed he had been placed under house arrest ahead of the Eid prayers.
“Eidgah and Jama Masjid belong to the people. Barring them from these sacred spaces even on Eid reflects an oppressive and authoritarian approach that prevails in Kashmir today,” Mirwaiz posted on X.
He said the restrictions were deeply painful and denounced the move as a violation of religious rights.
“I am deeply pained and strongly condemn the authorities' decision to once again deny the Muslims of Kashmir the basic right to offer Eid prayers at Eidgah and Jama Masjid, which have been closed down. I have been detained at home,” he said.
Mirwaiz questioned the administration’s claims of normalcy.
“Even at the peak of militancy during the 1990s, Eid prayers were offered at Eidgah. So now, when huge claims of normalcy are made every day by the authorities, why are Muslims being kept away from their religious places and practices? What is the agenda? Is the collective identity of Kashmiri Muslims a threat to the rulers?” he asked.
Authorities did not comment on his claims of being under house arrest.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, major congregational prayers, including those on Eid and Shab-e-Qadr, have repeatedly been disallowed at Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid and Eidgah. Officials have cited security concerns, as the sites often become focal points for political expression, reflecting anti-India sentiments.