Majlis-e-Ulema condemns forcing non-Muslim slogans from Pulwama mosque

SRINAGAR — Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir on Monday expressed serious concern and strongly condemned the incident that took place in Masjid Sharief of Zadoora village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, on the night of June 23 and 24, wherein the personnel of the Army’s 50 Battalion Rashtriya Rifles harassed the local people and beat up some residents, forcing them to raise non-Muslim slogans from the mosque.

In a statement, the MMU said the silence maintained by the authorities in this regard is unacceptable. It asked them to clarify their position in this regard as the religious sentiments of Muslims of J&K have been badly hurt and people are shocked.

The MMU expressed concern over the fact that the government-backed institutions in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly interfering with the management and working of mosques, shrines, Imambaras and other religious institutions, saying this is causing distress which needs to be addressed.

MMU also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the MMU patron Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who has been under arbitrary detention for the last four years, and other imprisoned religious leaders and preachers, before the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

The Majlis-e-Ulema announced that a state-wide meeting will be convened after Eid-ul-Azha for a comprehensive review of religious and societal challenges facing the Muslims of J&K and how to address them.