Srinagar, Jan 02: Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Wednesday said the names of masked youth who desecrated the historic mosque will be revealed soon.
Speaking during a drive to ‘cleanse’ the mosque pulpit, Mirwaiz said measures have been initiated to unveil the faces of masked youth who desecrated the mosque pulpit.
Amid pro-Islam slogans, Mirwaiz, who also heads Hurriyat-M and is part of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), led the cleansing process today while others joined also him.
Speaking on the occasion, Mirwaiz said their investigation has begun and the faces and names behind the desecration of Jamia Masjid will be made public soon.
He said “some disgruntled elements at the behest of some anti-Islamic agencies” by raising black flags on the very sacred pulpit of this grand mosque have hurt the sentiments of the millions of Muslims living here.
He urged the youth to remain vigilant and defeat the nefarious designs of enemies.
“The incident has led to shock, outrage and deep resentment among people and has deeply hurt their sentiments” Mirwaiz said.
A group of masked youth entered the mosque last Friday after weekly congregational prayers and rushed to the pulpit, with one of them standing atop the pulpit, shouting slogans and raising IS flag.
Earlier, Mirwaiz led a protest rally of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) from Rajouri Kadal to the Jama Masjid.
Led by Mirwaiz, hundreds of people amid pro-Islamic and pro-freedom slogans assembled outside AAC head office at Rajouri Kadal and started marching towards the Jama Masjid at Nowhatta.
The protesters, however, were asked by the police not to march on the main roads and take interiors lanes to reach Jama Masjid as a precautionary measure to avoid any law and order problem in the volatile downtown area.
The marchers condemned and termed waving ISIS flags on the pulpit of Jama Masjid, saying the desecration of central mosque will not be tolerated at any cost.
After marching through interiors of old city, the protesters peacefully reached Jama Masjid wherein Mirwaiz lead the cleansing process.
