Stopping Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to address Friday congregation in Kashmir interference in religious affairs: Auqaf
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was disallowed to address Friday congregation for the third consecutive week at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar as the locals termed it as interference in religious affairs of muslims.
The Anjuman Auqaf which runs the affairs of the Jama Masjid Srinagar denounced the continuous house detention of Mirwaiz stating that the administration imposes arbitrary and unjustified restrictions on the religious functioning of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir.
“In such bitter cold, thousands of devoted men, women, children and physically challenged persons from various parts of the Valley gather at the historic central Jama Masjid in Srinagar to listen to the sermon of their beloved Mirwaiz,” read the statement. They said that the action of the authorities of keeping him under house arrest at his Nigeen residence “deeply hurts the sentiments of these devotees and deprives them of their religious freedoms.”
The Auqaf members lamented that the Lieutenant Governor administration “through these arbitrary measures continuously disregard and disrespect the religious sentiments and emotions of the people.” “Such measures also amount to interference in religious affairs of Muslims which is highly condemnable,” read the statement. Zainab Begum, 60, a local devotee, who has offered Friday prayers at Jama Masjid for several decades said that she is extremely hurt by the continuous detention of Mirwaiz, who she has heard on Friday’s for many years now.
“He was already detained for around four years and now despite their claims
