J&K: Outrage as Authorities Bar Juma't ul Vida Prayers at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid

Srinagar: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday barred people from entering the grand mosque Jamia Masjid in Srinagar to offer the Juma’t ul Vida prayers leading to outrage in the region.

The mosque in Nowhatta locality of Srinagar Downtown was locked from all sides with some policemen also posted around the mosque. Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the mosque’s management body, in a statement expressed resentment over the incident.

The Anjuman said that the district magistrate and police officials visited the mosque at 9.30 in the morning and directed the management to lock the mosque’s gates as the administration had decided the congregational prayers will not be allowed at the mosque. Today’s prayers are also important because they fall on the last Friday of the month of Ramadan considered most sacred amongst the Muslims.

“Anjuman strongly resents this move of the authorities causing great distress to Lakhs of Muslims who traditionally come from all parts of the valley to offer prayers on the last and greatly blessed Friday,” the statement read.

People in tens of thousands from across the valley would offer prayers in Jamia on this day of Ramadan. This is the fourth time Muslims from the region have been denied from offering the prayers at the central mosque. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the region’s key religious figure who also leads the prayers at the mosque, is currently under house arrest at his Srinagar residence since August 2019 as the government abrogated Articles 370 and 35 A in the region despite opposition. 

Scores of worshippers, especially those who had come from distant areas, were disappointed to see the gates of the mosque closed. “It is very unfortunate that the mosque is closed. It is humiliating... to see every year the administration barring us to perform our religious obligation. There will be no peace until Jamia remains shut,” a Srinagar resident said.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah also condemned the administration’s decision to close the revered 14th century mosque.

“We are constantly treated to claims of normalcy in J&K and yet the administration betrays its own claims when it resorts to locking up one of our holiest mosques thus denying people the chance to offer prayers on the last Friday of Ramzan,” the National Conference leader tweeted.

Senior J&K People’s Conference leader Syed Basharat Bukhari expressed his disappointment over the decision and lashed out at the administration for not allowing for denying people the right to practice their religion freely.

“It is a time for family and community gatherings and an opportunity to strengthen bonds of brotherhood and harmony. By denying people the right to offer prayers, the administration and police are creating a sense of disappointment and disillusionment among the people,” he added.

Bukhari also urged the authorities to reconsider their decision and allow people to offer Eid prayers at Eidgah in Srinagar that the police have indicated will not be allowed either in view of maintaining the law and order situation.

Meanwhile, rallies to mark the Youm Al-Quds or Day of Quds were carried out in various parts of Kashmir in which the residents raised pro-Palestine and anti-Israel slogans and prayed for the Al Aqsa mosque in the wake of fresh violence in the mosque’s compound.