Crackdown in Kashmir: Mirwaiz under house arrest, Friday prayers banned at Srinagar mosque

Kashmiris have often expressed solidarity with Palestinians and have protested in Srinagar around Jamia Masjid against Israel’s actions in Palestine

Authorities in Kashmir did not allow Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar and put its chief priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house detention, the managing body of the mosque said on Friday.

The Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, which manages the grand mosque in Srinagar’s old city, said the police closed the gates of the mosque and informed devotees that the Friday prayers will not be allowed today.

“Mirwaiz-i-Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq who was finally allowed to offer Friday prayers and deliver Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid after four years of house detention (on September 22) has yet again been put under house arrest early morning today,” the Anjuman said in a statement.

A call to SSP Srinagar Rakesh Balwal didn’t elicit any response.

The development at Jamia comes amid the escalation of conflict in West Asia after the Hamas attack in Israel and the subsequent bombardment of Gaza in Palestine by Tel Aviv.

Kashmiris have often expressed their solidarity with Palestinians and in the past have protested in Srinagar’s old city particularly around Jamia Masjid against Israel’s actions in Palestine.

Meanwhile, a protest was held against Israel’s killing of civilians in Gaza in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Scores of people carrying banners supporting Palestine came out on roads after Friday prayers in Budgam and denounced Israel’s bombardment of civilians in Gaza.

On Wednesday, Hurriyat Conference chairman and Muttahida Majlis-e -Ulema patron Mirwaiz expressed ‘anguish and grief’ at the loss of previous human lives including women and children in the latest escalation in the Palestinian-Israel conflict.

Mirwaiz said that the roots of this conflict are in its “colonial past”. “Palestinians have been gravely wronged and are suffering as a consequence of the conflict. Routinely their young , women and even children are killed , their homes are bombed and destroyed , they are subjected to humiliation and surveillance all the time, their livelihood fast dwindling,” Mirwaiz said in a statement.

“The people of Kashmir stand united in unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine, sharing a deep hope for the resolution of the conflict and an end to the profound human suffering it has caused,” he had said.

After more than four years of house arrest, chief cleric and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz was allowed to move out of his house and deliver the Friday sermon at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on September 22.

Mirwaiz was put under house arrest ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A on August 5, 2019. His release came weeks after he served a legal notice to the lieutenant governor administration over his house detention and denial to visit the Jamia Masjid since 2019.

He has been leading the prayers and delivering Friday sermons at Jamia Masjid as part of the Mirwaiz’s family tradition.