Srinagar, March 31 – Kashmir’s chief cleric and Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Monday alleged that he was placed under house detention ahead of Eid prayers, as authorities barred congregational prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid and Eidgah grounds.
“I am deeply pained and strongly condemn the authorities’ decision to once again deny the Muslims of Kashmir the basic right to offer Eid prayers at Eidgah and Jama Masjid, which have been closed down, and I have been detained at home,” Farooq said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Security was intensified in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area, where the Jama Masjid is located, restricting worshippers’ access to the mosque premises, eyewitnesses said, according to The Wire.
Authorities Cite Construction Work
On Sunday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, Darakhshan Andrabi, stated that Eid prayers would not be held at the Eidgah due to ongoing construction work.
“The biggest congregation will be at the Hazratbal shrine,” Andrabi was quoted as saying, adding that arrangements had been made in coordination with various departments.
Farooq Questions ‘Normalcy’ Claims
Farooq questioned the rationale behind restricting religious gatherings despite official claims of normalcy in Kashmir.
“Eidgah and Jama Masjid belong to the people,” he said. “Barring them from these sacred spaces even on Eid reflects an oppressive and authoritarian approach that prevails in Kashmir today.”
The cleric noted that even during the peak of militancy in the 1990s, Eid prayers were held at the Eidgah grounds. “So now, when huge claims of normalcy are made every day by the authorities, why are Muslims being kept away from their religious places and practices?” he asked.
Detention Follows Recent Ban on Hurriyat Affiliates
Farooq’s alleged house detention follows the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ recent decision to ban the Awami Action Committee, a political outfit led by him, and the Jammu Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen, led by Masroor Abbas Ansari. The government accused both groups of engaging in anti-national activities, supporting terrorism, and fueling secessionist sentiments.
Both parties are part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an alliance formed in 1993 advocating Kashmiri separatism.
This is not the first time Farooq has faced restrictions. On March 14, he was similarly detained at home and prevented from offering Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid.
With restrictions in place, the Hazratbal shrine remained the primary venue for Eid prayers in Srinagar.
(Inputs from various reports)
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