Srinagar: The Congregational Friday prayers continue to be barred at historic Jamia mosque for the 10th consecutive week in Srinagar’s Nowhatta with Anjuman Auqaf condemning the closure stating Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also remains under house arrest.
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid released a statement to News Agency KDC stating that the Friday prayers at the central Jama Masjid Srinagar were disallowed 10th consecutive week in a row.
The Anjuman said that the authorities have given no reasons for these restrictions and curbs.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, as per the statement also condemned the repeated closure of the Jama Masjid on Fridays and his detention.
He said that all claims of so-called normalcy fall flat by such anti-people measures and he failed to understand why the Jama Masjid was being targeted again and again.
He said the the rulers should stop playing with the religious sentiments of the Muslims and let them offer prayers in their mosques without hindrance. “People’s silence and endurance of brazen attacks on their religious rights should not be mistaken as their weakness to respond.”
It is pertinent to mention that Mirwaiz was released on 22 September Mirwaiz from the house after four years since he was initially detained following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019.
Farooq was then granted permission to give a sermon and guide Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid which was attended by a large number of people.
The Re-closure of the mosque and re-detention of Mirwaiz comes after Israel’s invasion of Gaza following the Hamas attack.
The J-K administration has taken every precaution to ensure that the valley remains free from protests related to the ongoing Israeli-Palestine war. It fears that any pro-Palestine rally could quickly turn into a stir, as has happened in the past.
