Srinagar: The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti (KPSS) has strongly criticised the authorities for barring prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid on the revered night of Lailat-ul-Qadr, questioning claims of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Is this normalcy in JK when authorities ban Shab-e-Qadr prayers inside Jama Masjid? Stop mocking the world with claims that normalcy has returned after the removal of Article 370. That is why terrorism in Jammu’s Hindu belt has increased in the last three years,” the Kashmiri Pandit body said in a statement.
The decision, conveyed to the Auqaf by authorities, prevents thousands of worshippers from gathering at the grand mosque on Lailat-ul-Qadr, a night considered the holiest in Islam, when Muslims worldwide seek divine mercy and forgiveness.
KPSS further stated, “Normalcy does not mean lakhs of tourists visiting Kashmir; normalcy means when authorities allow religious activities in Jama Masjid Srinagar.”
The move has been widely condemned by religious and civil society groups, who see it as an infringement on religious rights.
