Srinagar, January 14, 2022 (PPI-OT): In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), the amalgam of religious organizations, has taken a strong exception to the authorities’ order asking students, faculty members and staff of all colleges in the territory to compulsorily participate in the Hindu religious practice of ‘surya namaskar’ on a religious festival observed, today.
The MMU in a statement in Srinagar said that the authorities were well aware that IIOJK is a Muslim majority territory and Muslims will not, like people of other religions, participate in religious practices of other religions. “To deliberately force them to do so by issuing directives is mischievous,” it added.
The MMU said that the Indian rulers should be clear that it is completely unacceptable to the Muslims of the territory who will never yield to such highhandedness. “It said Muslims of IIOJK are respectful of all religions and believe in harmonious coexistence but will never yield to any pressure, if and when there is any interference in matters related to their faith.”
The MMU said that it is quite sad and tells about the sorry state of affairs pervading India, that while the religious practice of one religion gets promoted and imposed in the name of peace, that of the other gets banned and barred in the name of threat; referring to the repeated lockdown by authorities of the central Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, where obligatory Friday prayers have not been allowed for months now and the disruptions caused to Friday prayers in Gurgaon by goons having a free run. “The recent open call to genocide of Muslims of India by a Hindu religious conference in Haridwar and the silence of the authorities in this regard is a shocking case of discrimination against Muslims which has become the order of the day in today’s India,” it said.
The organizations, which are part of the MMU, include Anjuman Auqaf Jaima Masjid, Darul Uloom Raheemiyah, Jamaith Ahli Hadees , Muslim Personal Law Board Anjuman-e-Sharie Shiaan, Karwan-e-Islami, Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen, Darul Uloom Bilalia, Anjuman Tableegh-ul-Islam, Anjuman Himayat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Mazhar-ul-Haq, Jamiat-ul-Aima Wa Ulema, Anjuman Imam Wa Mashaikh Kashmir, Darul Uloom Naqshbandia, Darul Uloom Rasheediya, Ahlul Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz-ul-Uloom, Pearvaan-e-Wilayat, Auqaf Islamia, Muhammadi Trust, Anjuman Anwar-ul-Islam and Kaarvaan-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwwat.
Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association spokesman, G N Shaheen Advocate, in a statement in Srinagar said the authorities’ order was unconstitutional and unlawful and even violation of the Indian Constitution. He said, the HCBA has lodges its protest against the majoritarian dictatorial directions and calls upon the authorities to withdraw the order forthwith and avoid enforcement of such acts which had inherent potential to destabilize the public tranquility and hurt the religious beliefs of various religious communities in the society.
Reacting to the order, Peoples Democratic Party chief, Mehbooba Mufti, in a tweet, said, Indian government’s misadventures are aimed to demean and collectively humiliate the Kashmiris. She said that forcing students and staff to perform Surya Namaskar by issuing orders despite their obvious discomfort with imposition of something laden with religious connotations gives an insight into their communal mindset.
The National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah, in his tweet said that celebrating the festival of Makar Sankranti was a personal choice, questioning why Muslim students should be forced to do anything, including yoga, to celebrate Makar Sankranti. He asked whether the BJP would be happy if non-Muslim students were ordered to celebrate Eid.
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