Srinagar, Mar 29 (UNI) The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) on Saturday strongly condemned the authorities' decision to disallow Shab-e-Qadr and Jumat-ul-Vida prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid and to place Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest, calling the move a blatant interference in the religious rights of Muslims in the region.

MMU, the representative forum of 45 religious organisations in Jammu & Kashmir, is headed by Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

“It is deeply unfortunate and painful that while in every part of the world, including in war-torn regions and conflict zones, people were allowed to gather peacefully to offer these sacred prayers, only in Kashmir, the biggest congregation of Muslims was deliberately disallowed and barred by the authorities,” the MMU said in a statement.
“This has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the people and reflects a policy of interfering in and curbing the religious rights of the Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir,” it added.
No Friday prayers on Jumat-ul-vida - the last Friday of Ramzan- were allowed at Jamia mosque and Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest. Earlier, on Thursday night the authorities denied permission to hold prayers at the grand mosque on the auspicious occasion of Shab-e-Qadr.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema also disclosed that on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the Imams across Jammu & Kashmir will, in their sermons, collectively raise their voice against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill which the Government of India intends to table in the Parliament.
The MMU reiterated that this Bill is against the interests of the Muslim community and undermines their religious and community institutions.
“In one voice, we will appeal to the Government and the Parliament of India not to pass this Bill and to respect the religious rights and interests of Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir and the country,” the MMU said
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