On Tuesday, Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir, the representative amalgam of religious social and educational organisations of Kashmir, “strongly objected to the enforcement of singing Hindu hymns in schools in Kashmir, as can be seen in a viral clip on social media at a government high school in Nagam, Kulgam, during morning prayer.”
This matter is a cause of great concern to Millat-e-Kashmir, the MMU said in a statement. The MMU added that it was also “an attempt to undermine our religious identity.”
Majlis-e-Ulema said that that protection of their religion and Islamic identity was, as Muslims their fundamental religious responsibility; and deliberate interference in this by the government, education department or any other agency will neither be accepted nor tolerated.
“It is becoming clear that there seems to be a deliberate plan to push our young generation through state run educational institutions towards apostasy, to wean them away from Islamic beliefs and identity, to speed their so called “integration,” with the Hindutva idea of India. This is a very serious matter,” MMU said.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema said that efforts to browbeat Muslim Ulemas and scholars and weaken their influence in J-K is being carried out as the recent spate of arrests of respected Ulemas and religious heads and invoking of PSA against them shows, and the continued detention of MMU patron and Mirwaiz of Kashmir for last three years.
“Yet despite all odds and pressures, MMU will try to convene a meeting of its members to discuss and deliberate upon this serious matter and formulate a unified strategy in this regard. MMU asked people, including teachers, to show resilience to such diktats from authorities that go against the very grain of our religious beliefs and identity,” it added.
The constituent organisations of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema include: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar, Darul Uloom Raheemiya Bandipora, Grand Mufti’s Muslim Personal Law Board, Anjuman Shari’an Shiaan, Jamiat Ahle Hadeeth, Jama’at-e-Islami, Karwaan-e-Islami, Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, Anjuman Himayat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Tabligh-e-Islam, Jamiat Hamadaniyah, Anjuman Ulema-e-Ahnaf, Darul Uloom Qasmiya, Darul Uloom Bilaliya, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Mazhar-ul-Haq, Jamiat-ul-Aima Wa Ulema, Anjuman Aima Wa Mashaaikh Kashmir, Darul Uloom Naqshbandiya, Darul Uloom Rasheediya, Ahl-e-Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz-ul-Uloom, Peerwan-e-Wilaayat, Auqaf Islamia Khirram Sirhama, Bazm-e-Tawheed Ahl-e-Hadeeth Trust, Anjuman Tanzeem-al-Makatib, Muhammadi Trust, Anjuman Anwar-ul-Islam, Karwaan-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat, Darul Uloom Syed Al Mursaleen, Anjuman Ulema Wa Aima Masaajid, Falah Dareen Trust Welfare Society Islamabad, Darul Uloom Natipora Srinagar and other contemporary religious, social and educational associations.