Srinagar, Nov 03 : Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid President and Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq expressed deep dismay and regret that the authorities once again for fourth consecutive Friday disallowed the congregational prayers at the historic central Jama Masjid and did not let him deliver the Friday sermon by confining him to his house.
Mirwaiz as per a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) condemned this ban. He said thousands of people from the nook and corner of the valley come to the central mosque to pray and they are turn away, dejected and sad.
“It is very unfortunate that religious freedom is repeatedly held hostage to fear of people voicing their concerns or expressing their feelings, this time in support of hapless Palestinians being bombed and killed with impunity,” he said.
Mirwaiz said due to the policy of gags and bans by the state, people of Kashmir may not publicly be allowed to express their emotions and support for Palestinians, but who can laying claim to being a human, not be moved and pained by their plight and want to express his /her condemnation.
It is obvious that people of JK are along with all conscientious people of the world including many Jews, naturally standing in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people, he said.
“Although what can we do for them, except pray; if someone can help them it is the leadership of the comity of nations,” he said.
He said that it is painful that world powers are witnessing the genocide happening there, unmoved. Young children and innocent civilians are being killed in thousands and instead of stopping the carnage, the world powers are instead arming Israel to kill more people, he lamented.
“This is a big challenge for the international community, especially The United Nations and the OIC, who so far have failed in preventing this ongoing massacre and giving justice to the Palestinian people,” Mirwaiz said.
Mirwaiz further said that after more than 4 long years of detention and going to the court, last month I was released. “But soon it became clear that the release is selective, at the discretion of the authorities who decide when and where I may be allowed to go and communicate and when and where I should be stopped.”
“As the matter is still before the Honourable high court and coming up for hearing next week, I hope relief will be given to me. I am unable to understand what my status is and what the government wants, as I am released one day and detained for several days. In the last three weeks I was also stopped from addressing the faithful in connection with the Urs of Hazrat Peer Dastgeer Sahib, at Khanyar shrine, and Sarai Bala where large numbers of people had gathered to listen to the religious sermon,” he said—(KNO)
