Govt again bars Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid

The government Friday disallowed congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown here and confined two top separatist leaders to their homes and another to a police station. 

Most of the downtown areas were put under stringent curbs with hundreds of police and paramilitary forces in riot gear patrolling its streets. 

   

Coils of concertina wire and armoured vehicles were also stationed at many places blocking access to the Jamia Masjid. 

Witnesses said residents who tried to reach the Masjid for Friday prayers were pushed back by the patrolling forces. 

 “A CRPF man told me nobody is allowed to go to Jamia Masjid,” said Reyaz Ahmed, a resident of Nowhatta. 

Authorities imposed restrictions in Maharaj Gunj, Nowhatta, Khanyar and Rainawari areas of downtown fearing protests protests against the recent civilian and militant killings in Shopian and Srinagar.

The managing body of Jamia Masjid, Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar said disallowing Friday prayers was tantamount to “interference in religious affairs.” 

“The present regime has crossed all limits of highhandedness,” a spokesman of the Auqaf said, adding it was the 8th Friday this year the government didn’t allow congregational prayers at the central mosque.

Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was again barred from offering Friday prayers as policemen deployed outside his residence didn’t allow him to come out. 

Similarly, chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was set free early in the morning, was again placed under house detention at his Nigeen residence. 

Chief of JKLF, Muhammad Yasin Malik, who is not keeping well, continues to remain lodged in police station Kothibagh since one week.

Hurriyat (M) condemns

Hurriyat Conference (M) Friday strongly condemned the imposition of strict restriction in downtown Srinagar and preventing people from offering obligatory Friday congregational prayers at Jama Masjid Srinagar.

“We also condemn the continuous house detention amalgam chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, barring him from carrying out social, religious and political obligations,” a Hurriyat (M) spokesman said in a statement here.

It said that Kashmir is witnessing an ultimate form of repression as entire South Kashmir has been converted into a military fortress. “Military might of New Delhi is on a full display across Kashmir as the dance of death has become a regular feature for the government forces,” said the statement.

Meanwhile, on call of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), Hurriyat leaders including Muhammad Shafi Khan from Lal Bazar, Moulvi Bilal from Gundbal Rafiabad, Moulvi Ashraf from Malapora Sopore, Moulvi Aijaz from Khawajabagh, Baramulla, Moulvi Nazir Ahmed from Hathishah Sopore, Ghulam Nabi Zaki at  Sopore, Peer Ghulam Nabi at Bota Kadal and Moulana M S Rehman at Nigeen, read out JRL resolution and sought people’s support before passing the same.

“We strongly condemn the re-arrest of Hurriyat leader Mukhtar Ahmed Waza. Every now and then Waza is being lodged in jails and is not being allowed to carry on with his and social and political activities. It’s sheer political vendetta,” the statement said.

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