Jammu Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP), strongly criticized the recent announcement by the Chairperson of the Waqf Board, Darakshan Andrabi regarding the recruitment of Imams and Muazzins with degrees, expressing concerns about the underlying motivations behind the decision.
In a statement issued to media, the Party’s Chief Spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari said the move seems to be an attempt to implement the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which aims to gain control over the pulpit of Mosques and Khanqahs in Jammu Kashmir.
Bukhari noted that the pulpit holds immense significance as the seat of leadership for Muslims, where spiritual guidance and teachings are imparted. “This move might be an effort to regulate and influence the discourse within these religious institutions, thereby infringing upon the religious freedom of the Muslim community.”
“If the idea is truly beneficial, why is BJP not implementing it in the case of religious places of other faiths? This apparent discrepancy raises doubts about the true intentions behind the decision and suggests an element of selective targeting,” Bukhari said.
He labeled the decision as a direct interference and an attack on the religious institutions of Jammu Kashmir and asserted that such interference and attempts to control religious expressions will not be tolerated by the people of the region.
“All segments of society, as well as the political leadership across the spectrum in Jammu Kashmir, should unite and resist the move as it poses a threat to the religious freedom and autonomy of the religious institutions.”