Srinagar, Nov 2: Castigating the Government for “interfering” in religious affairs of Muslims in Kashmir by not allowing congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Majid here for past eight weeks, the leading Muslim clerics of the Valley on Tuesday passed resolutions threatening to start an agitation if the “suppression tactics” were not immediately stopped.
 The Ulema also asked the pro-freedom leaders to desist from giving shutdown or protest calls on Fridays to allow the people to offer congregational prayers.
 On the directions of Kashmir’s chief cleric and chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Ulema from various organizations under the banner of Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema met at Mirwaiz Manzil here and passed many resolutions to decry the curbs on prayers at Jamia Masjid. 
 “For past eights weeks, the Government has not allowed the congregational Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid and other mosques in the Valley by imposing curfew and restrictions. We strongly condemn it and maintain that we can tolerate anything expect religious infringement. As Ulema we have a responsibility to raise our voice against it,” the president of Jamait-e-AhliHadith, Maulana Showkat, told reporters after the meeting.
 Maulana Showkat threatened that if the Government continues with its “suppressive policies” the Ulema will be forced to launch an agitation.
 “We have passed a resolution that if the Government continues to use suppressive policies and interferes with our religious affairs by not allowing the Friday prayers, we will launch an agitation and ask the people to march to Jamia Masjid as a mark of protest. We want to maintain that if there is any law or order situation, Government will be responsible for it,” Maulana said.
 “The Ulema also decried placing Mirwaiz, who was scheduled to participate in the meeting, under house arrest. “We had no plan to stage protests today. There was no justification for the Government to debar Mirwaiz from attending the meet. We strongly condemn his house arrest and repeated moves to debar him from performing religious duties,” they said.
 Without naming anybody, the Ulema made a fervent appeal to the pro-freedom leaders to desist from giving any protest program or shutdown call on Fridays. “The congregational Friday prayers has special place in our religion. We appeal the pro-freedom leaders to exempt Friday from any protest or strike calls,” they said.
 Among others, the meeting was participated by Aga Syed Al-Mousvi-Al-Safvi,   senior Hurriyat (M) leader and president of Anjuman-e-Sharian Shian Budgam; Mufti Nazir Ahmad Qasmi, president of Darol-ul-Uloom Rahimiya Bandipora; Agha Masroor Abass, president Itehaad-ul-Muslimeen. Besides, the Imams of various masjids across the Valley attended the meet.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Nov 2010 00:00:00 IST