Members of Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu Kashmir Wednesday held a meeting at the historic Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal, which also included representatives of leading social and educational institutions, as well as members from the trading fraternity regarding the continued house arrest of its chairman and Mirwaiz e Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq since August 2019.
According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), all participants expressed concern that due to the continued detention of the Mirwaiz, the pulpits of the largest religious and spiritual center of Jammu Kashmir – Jama Masjid Srinagar – has fallen silent for the last 82 Fridays, which otherwise reverberates with the Dawat-o-Tableegh of Qaal Allah Wa Qaala Rasool (SAW).
The participants said that this greatly hurts the sentiments of the Muslims, the masses and religious scholars alike, especially those who have a deep religious and emotional attachment with the historic masjid and its pulpit.
The meeting said that in spite of the recent statement of the Government of India’s Minister of State for Home Affairs in the Indian Parliament that no one in Jammu & Kashmir is under house arrest, yet the Mirwaiz is detained at home and not allowed to move out.
The religious scholars emphasised that the holy month of Ramadan is approaching preceded by the month of Rajab-ul-Murajab during which the Mi’rajRel-un-Nabi (SAW) falls, followed by Sha’ban-ul-Mu’azzam, during which months, Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir in keeping with the tradition of his predecessors, visit mosques across the valley for propagation of Islamic teachings. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the administration to immediately lift the curbs on the Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir so that he resumes the responsibilities the institution of Mirwaiz enjoins upon him.
The participants of the meeting observed that as per media reports since yesterday, Government officials have said that the curbs on Mirwaiz have been lifted. Members of the meeting hope that the authorities will honour their word and release him from house detention immediately.
Meanwhile, the meeting also expressed serious concern over the rising drug menace which the members believe was being sponsored by various agencies and anti-social elements to mislead and lead astray the new generation of Kashmiris. The members appealed to all sections of the society, especially imams, religious scholars, parents, teachers and civil society members to rise to the occasion, at their individual level, to nip the menace and free this Valley of Saints from the scourge of drug abuse. (KNO)