Pulwama: An officer of Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir has been removed from duty after a patrol party forced Muslims at a mosque in Zadoora village of Pulwama district to raise “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogans on Saturday, NDTV reported quoting sources.
Three former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers- Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti- are among the politicians from the Valley who have demanded a probe into the allegations.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was the first to flag the issue and she publicly named the Indian Army’s 50 Rashtriya Rifles personnel.
“Shocked to hear about army troops from 50 RR storming into a mosque at Pulwama & forcing Muslims inside to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Such a move when @AmitShah is here & that too ahead of the yatra is simply an act of provocation. Request @RgGhai to immediately set up a probe,” Mehbooba tweeted on Saturday evening.
“Reports of security force personnel entering a mosque in Zadoora in Pulwama are deeply distressing. It’s bad enough they entered but then forcing people to chant slogans like “Jai Shree Ram”, as reported by the locals there, is unacceptable. I hope @rajnathsingh ji will issue instructions for these reports to be investigated in a timely & transparent manner,” Omar Abdullah tweeted, mentioning the defence minister of India.
Earlier in the day, Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir said the silence maintained by the authorities in this regard is unacceptable.
It asked them to clarify their position in this regard as the religious sentiments of Muslims of JK have been badly hurt and people are shocked.
The MMU expressed concern over the fact that the government-backed institutions in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly interfering with the management and working of mosques, shrines, imambaras and other religious institutions, saying this is causing distress which needs to be addressed.
MMU also called for immediate and unconditional release of the MMU patron Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who has been under arbitrary detention for the last four years, and other imprisoned religious leaders and preachers, before the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
The Majlis-e-Ulama announced that a state-wide meeting will be convened after Eid-ul-Azha for a comprehensive review of religious and societal challenges facing the Muslims of JK and how to address them.
It should be noted that the organisations that are part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema include Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar, Darul Uloom Rahimiya Bandipora, Mufti Azam’s Muslim Personal Law Board, Anjuman Sharia Shiaan, Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Jamaat-e-Islami, Karwan-e-Islami, Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, Anjuman Himayat-ul-Islam, Jamiat Tabligh-e-Islam, Jamiat Hamdaniyyah, Jamiat Ulema-e-Ahnaf, Darul Uloom Qasmiya, Darul Uloom Bilaliya, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Mazharul Haq, Jamiat al-Imam wal Ulama, Anjuman Aima Wa Mashaikhs Kashmir, Darul Uloom Naqshbandiyya, Darul Uloom Rasheediyyah, Ahl al-Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz-ul Uloom, Peerwan-e-Wilayat, Auqaf Islamia Khurram Sirhama, Bazm-e-Tawheed Ahle Hadith Trust, Anjuman Tanzeem-al-Makatib, Muhammadi Yateem Trust, Anjuman Anwar-ul-Islam, Karwae-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Darul Uloom Syed Al-Mursaleen, Anjuman Ulama Wa Aima Masajid, Falah Dareen Trust Welfare Society Islamabad, Ashraf Uloom Hydepora, Jamiat Ulama Kashmir, Idarah Wahdatul Makaatib Jammu and Kashmir, Darul Uloom Imdadiya Natipora, Darul Uloom Jamiat al-Rashaad Awantipora, Khanqah-e- Muradiya Jama Masjid Kreeri, Darul Uloom Sout-ul-Qur’an Gulshanabad Srinagar and several other contemporary religious, social and educational associations.
