Srinagar, Dec 30: Hurriyat-M chairman on Sunday expressed shock over the ‘desecration’ of the Jama Masjid Srinagar by masked youth, saying such hooliganism will not be tolerated.
Taking to Twitter, Mirwaiz, who delivers Friday sermon at grand mosque, said he is deeply saddened and shocked by the attempt to violate the sanctity of the pulpit.
“Deeply shocked and saddened by the attempt to violate the sanctity of the pulpit at #JamaMasjid by a group miscreants late on Friday! Such hooliganism that harms the mosque or misuses the name of Islam to spread anarchy and fear among people will not be tolerated at all!” Mirwaiz wrote on his twitter handle.
He said the grand mosque is the fountain head of religious as well as political aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Jama Masjid is the fountain head of both the religious identity and the political aspirations of the people of J&K, engaged in the struggle for Right to Self-determination, inspired by Islamic values of seeking justice and resistance to oppression,” he said.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by Awami Action Committee said it held a crucial meeting chaired by its patron Mirwaiz at Mirwaiz Manzil Nigeen to discuss the recent attempt at violation of the pulpit of Jama Masjid Srinagar by a bunch of goons.
“The participants of the meeting reiterated that nobody will be allowed to play with the peoples movement for right to self-determination that has the blood and sweat of lakhs of people at its back and that no such act, (the one witnessed on Friday) will be tolerated again,” the AAC statement said.
In the meeting, it said, it was decided that in connection with this incident of sacrilege, on Monday, (December 31) Mirwaiz will offer ‘Zuhr’ prayers at the historic Jama Masjid and will take stock of the situation on ground.
“Mirwaiz will also chair another meeting on Wednesday at 2 pm after which ‘Asr’ prayers will be offered at the Jama Masjid that will be followed by cleansing the mosque in which volunteers, locals, and the members of Anjuman-e-Auqaf will take part.,” it said.
The AAC said it was also decided that Friday (January 04) will be observed as (Youm-e-Taqadus) where resistance leadership and religious scholars will address people in the mosque besides condemning this act of sacrilege committed by some anti-Islam elements.
Meanwhile, United Jehad Council (UJC) has said that ISIS doesn’t exist anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir and that the attempt to violate sanctity of pulpit at Jama Masjid Srinagar was the “handiwork of Indian agencies.”
In an emailed statement, the UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain said people are already aware of the fact that “Indian agencies are using the name of ISIS to defame and divide the pro-freedom struggle in the state.”
He said the Muslim Ummah has seen the actions of ISIS in Syria, Libya and Afghanistan where Muslims are butchered at the instance of western powers.
“The historical Jama Masjid Srinagar is not only the centre of Islamic preaching but also the centre of resistance struggle from 1931 onwards,” said the spokesman.
He appealed people to keep a vigil over such people and play their role in exposing them. “Violation of the sanctity of Jama Masjid Srinagar at the hands of these agents is unacceptable and highly condemnable and such acts can’t weaken the resistance struggle in Kashmir,” said the spokesman.
In an emailed statement, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Mahmood Shah, while strongly condemning the waiving of ISIS flag in Jama Masjid and “maligning of the honor of pulpit of the masjid” said that the youth must recognize the fact that “the terrorist organization ISIS is brought up by India-Israel-US nexus.”
He said the only vicious motive of this organization is to “malign the Jihad and image of Mujahideen. Those who are promoting ISIS intentionally must come to their senses and reform themselves. ISIS is the end of Islamic State, not the other way around.”
Mahmood Shah also said that India is exploiting the immature youth for its vicious motives. But they will never succeed in their vicious motives.
“The condemning statement by Joint Resistance Leadership is based on facts. We are the heirs of Kashmir’s indigenous freedom struggle and will never allow anyone to de-track it,” LeT chief said.
