Wednesday, June 18, 2025

“Oppressive, authoritarian”: Mirwaiz condemns closure of Kashmir’s Jamia Masjid, Eidgah ground for Eid prayers

Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid and Eidgah were locked by authorities on Monday to block worshipers from Eid prayers. Kashmir’s chief cleric and chairman of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was supposed to lead the prayer, was placed under house arrest.

The decision to disallow the Eid prayers at the Jamia Masjid comes days after authorities locked the mosque for the Shab-e-Qadr and Jummat-ul-Vida prayers. Since 2019, Jamia Masjid has consistently remained closed for Eid prayers.

“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 wrote on X along with a video statement.

“Even at the peak of miltancy during 1990’s Eid prayers were offered at Eidgah, so now when huge claims of “normalcy “ are made everyday by the authorities, why are Muslims being kept away from their religious places and practices? What is the agenda? Is the collective identify of Kashmiri Muslims a threat to the rulers?”

“Eidgah and Jama Masjid belong to the people. Barring them from these sacred spaces even on Eid reflects an oppressive and authoritarian approach that prevails in Kashmir today,” he added.

Earlier, senior BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi, who is the chairperson of J&K Waqf Board, said on Sunday that the Eid prayers would not be held at the Eidgah grounds “due to ongoing construction work”.

“The biggest congregation will be at Hazratbal shrine. All arrangements have been completed by the Waqf Board in coordination with line departments,” Andrabi said in a statement.

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