Authorities continued to disallow congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid for the 18th consecutive week by imposing strict curbs in various parts of old Srinagar.
Residents of Nowhatta said that nobody was allowed to proceed towards Jamia to offer Friday prayers. “The main entrance gate leading to the masjid was locked. The entrance gate of Jamia Masjid was also locked,” witnesses said. Continuous siege of Jamia Masjid since July 8 has evoked widespread condemnation from various quarters.
Hurriyat Conference (M) believes that the practice to disallow prayers at Jamia Masjid began in 1819. “It happened during the time of the then Maharaja Ranjit Singh when the then Governor Moti Ram curbed prayers at the masjid,” Hurriyat Conference (M) spokesman Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam said.
Jamia Masjid was constructed by Sultan Sikandar, father of Zainul Aabideen, popularly known as Budshah, between 1389-1420.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was under house arrest, tried to defy curbs and move towards Jamia Masjid. He was however, detained by the police. Talking to reporters outside his Nigeen residence, before his detention, Mirwaiz said the anti Muslim ruling regime has once again barred us from offering Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid and other main mosques across the Kashmir.
“It pains and hurts us that we are forcefully stopped from offering prayers at the Jamia Masjid and from listening to and delivering Friday sermons,” he said. Mirwaiz said religious rights are “under assault in Kashmir” and as subjugated people of Kashmir know that it is being done to inflict collective punishment upon them.
“What is shameful though is that some who have Muslim names are collaborators of such perversity and oppression,” Mirwaiz said. “Condemning the acts of such people is futile. Despite such assaults our commitment and support for our freedom struggle will continue.”
