Srinagar, Mar 5 (KNS): The Ulemas associated with Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu & Kashmir on Friday in their Friday sermons expressed strong resentment over the continued house arrest of MMU Chairman Mirwaiz Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq for the last 20 months, saying the undue restrictions on the peaceful activities of the Valley’s topmost religious leader and preventing him from performing his duties as the Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir was unacceptable.
According to the statement issued to KNS, Condemning the autocratic approach of the authorities for not allowing Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir to address the faithful at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar after 83 Fridays despite announcing on Thursday, as per media reports, that he is no more under house arrest;, the MMU who in their respective mosques shines and and Imam Baras members spoke about it include Anjuman Shari-e-Shian chairman Agha Syed Hassan Al-Mosvi Al-Safvi, Darul Uloom Raheemiyah Bandipora Nazim-e-Aala Moulana Rehmatullah Qasmi, Jamiat Ahle Hadeeth Jammu & Kashmir’s Mufti Yaqoob Baba Al-Madni, Ithihad-ul-Muslimeen chairman Moulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, Imam & Khateeb Jamia Masjid Srinagar Moulana Ahmad Saeed Naqshbandi, Jamia Masjid Bijbehara Khiram Sarhama Imam & Khateeb Mufti Zia-ul-Haq Naazmi, Anjuman Himayat-ul-Islam president and Imam & Khateeb of Mirza Akmal-ud-Din Badakhshi Bayhaqi chief Khursheed Ahmad Qanungo, Anjuman Mazhar-ul-Haq Beerwah president and Imam & Khateeb Jamia Masjid Beerwah Moulana Lateef Ahmad Bukhari, Anjuman Ulema-e-Ahnaf chief Moulvi Akhzar Hussain, Jamiat Bazm-e-Ahle Hadeeth Trust’s Peer Rehmatullah, Imam & Khateeb of Jamia Masjid Handwara Mufti Nazim-ul-Haq Nadwi, Anjuman Ulema Wa Aima Masajid Jammu & Kashmir Ameer Moulvi Abdullah Ashrafi, Imam & Khateeb of Jamia Masjid Pattan Mufti Ahmad Saeed Bukhari, Karwaan-e-Khattam-e-Nabuwat chief Mufti Mudasir, and the Imams and Khateebs across the Valley, said that in their sermons that not allowing the Mirwaiz to visit Jamia Masjid and deploying additional number of police personnel outside his residence and blocking roads leading to his house by placing armoured vehicles, barricades and concertina wires, was sheer interference in the religious affairs and unacceptable, it said.
Meanwhile, the MMU spokesperson while slamming the authoritarian policies of the administration said the people from across the Valley had come to Jamia Masjid Srinagar to listen to the sermon of their beloved leader Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir.
However, they were severely disappointed as well as angered with the news that the Mirwaiz was not allowed by the authorities to even move outside his residence, which resulted in a massive peaceful protest wherein people carried banners slamming the administration, statement said.
The spokesperson said such repressive measures by the authorities was not only unacceptable but deeply hurt the sentiments of the masses, it added.(KNS)