Srinagar: Independent lawmaker Er Sheikh Ab Rashid on Monday said while chief minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti has every right to celebrate Diwali as head of the state and as a Muslim, but she has to answer why Muslims could not offer Friday Prayers in the historical Jamia Masjid Srinagar.
Rashid asked as why were strict restrictions imposed on Muharram processions.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Rashid said, “on one hand, Mehbooba Mufti is trying to portray herself as architect of communal harmony by participating in Diwali celebrations but on the other hand she has become commander-in-chief of new Delhi’s undeclared war against Majority community of J&K and is bulldozing their administrative and religious rights.”
“New terror series of crackdowns from Kupwara to Qazigund has made life of people a hell. While Mehbooba was celebrating Diwali, in Bandipora, Tral, Shopian, Kandi, Nutnussa, Rahmoo, Parimpora and various other places in Kashmir, men, women and children were forced to get humiliated and tortured at the hands of security forces,” the MLA Langate said.
He added that Ms Mehbooba has to answer that why Jamia Masjid stands sealed for sixteen consecutives Fridays and what forced her to disallow Muharram processions all over Kashmir.
“Her all arguments and excuses stand exposed as she has no answers to what Muslims in Jammu province are facing. Not only grave yards, mosques and shrines in Sunderbani, Rajouri, Samba and other places are being desecrated on and often by fundamentalist forces but the religious clerks in Chenab valley are being forced to toe official line in Friday sermons and are being booked for denying same. Similarly, scores of religious clerks have been booked in every district of Kashmir valley only for condemning state terrorism,” he said. (CNS)
