Authorities Continue To Disallow Friday Prayers in Jamia Masjid

Anjuman Auqaf expresses regret, calls it ‘Dictatorship’.

SRINAGAR — As the Jammu and Kashmir administration continues to disallow congregational Friday prayers in historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Anjuman Auqaf Friday expressed deep sorrow and regret over the fact that even on the first Jummat-ul-Mubarak of the year 2022, the authorities, while demonstrating their “dictatorship and arbitrariness”, hurt the people’s sentiments by preventing them from fulfilling their religious obligation of praying at the Masjid.

In a statement, the Anjuman said it is the 23rd consecutive Friday when the pulpit of the Jamia Masjid was silenced and also the religious obligation like Jumma prayers could not be performed.

Condemning the “deplorable” behavior of the authorities, the Anjuman said that under a well-planned policy, continuously preventing the people from performing important religious duties like Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid is a serious violation of fundamental religious rights as well as interference in religion against which every section of the people are expressing anger and resentment.

“Similarly, since August 5, 2019, the head of the Anjuman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is being kept under illegal and arbitrary detention and restricted from fulfilling his official and social responsibilities, which is unacceptable to the people,” the statement said.