Hurriyat Conference leader and the chief cleric of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, stated that authorities did not permit congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on Friday. He also alleged that he was placed under house detention.
In addition, on the auspicious occasion of Shab-e-Qadr, the grand mosque in the city's Nowhatta locality was closed for prayers on Thursday night as well.
"Jamia Masjid continues to remain closed to people and I am under house detention even today on Juma-Tul-Vida, when lakhs of people eagerly await the whole year to offer congregational prayers on this blessed Friday for great reward and blessing from Allah," Mirwaiz stated in a post on X.
Continuous Target Against Most Important Centre
Mirwaiz questions the authorities about the repeated targeting of the most important centre of the religious identity of Kashmir and the fundamental right to curb people from religious practice, when tall claims of normalcy are announced every day?
"Those ruling in people's name cannot absolve themselves from standing up to address this gross injustice towards Muslims of the Valley and the repeated closure of #JamaMasjid (sic)," he stated, indicating to the National Conference-led Jammu and Kashmir government.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah offered special prayers, 'Alvida Namaz', on the last Friday of Ramzan month.