Srinagar, March 20 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief priest of Kashmir, claimed on Friday that he was placed under house arrest and prevented from offering congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here.
"For the third consecutive Friday during Ramadan, I have been arbitrarily placed under house arrest – this has never been communicated in writing, but enforced by placing police vehicles and large contingents in front of my gate and the entire area, blocking drainage points and lanes with concertina wire, and preventing traffic movement, all to prevent me from delivering the Friday sermon at Jama Masjid!" Mirwaiz said in a post on X.
He also posted pictures purportedly showing a large contingent of security forces and police vehicles outside the gate of his residence in the Nigeen locality of the city.
Mirwaiz, who delivers the Friday sermon at the grand mosque in the Nowhatta area of the city, said his house detention "conveys the fear of the rulers."
"While this conveys the fear of the rulers, the importance of the Jama Masjid for the Muslims of the region has unfortunately always been a source of contention, as are Muslim institutions and identity, which they seek to undermine. But such measures cannot erase identity or weaken faith. These attempts will fail," he added.