Srinagar, Jan 4: ‘Youm-e-Taqadus’ was observed at the historic Jamia Masjid on the call of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) with full religious zeal and discipline, the JRL said.
The program was presided over by the president of the Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in which leaders and representatives from various religious, social, and political organisations participated and put forth their views over the sacrilege of Jamia Masjid pulpit last Friday by some miscreants.
Those who spoke on the occasion include Syed Ali Geelani, who addressed the gathering over phone, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Jamaat-e-Islami spokesman Advocate Zahid Ali, Jamiate-e-Ahli Hadith representative Zubair Tahiri, head of the Anjuman-e-Himatul Islam Moulana Showkat Hussain Keng, and the representative of Anjuman-e-Shar-e-Shian G M Nagoo, and Parwan-e-Wilayat patron Moulana Sibt Muhammad Shabiri and dozens of other religious leaders.
According to a statement issued to Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik shed light on the sanctity of masjid and its pulpit in the light of Islamic teachings, stating that the incident that took place last Friday has shocked and hurt the religious sentiments and emotions of people across Kashmir and that the act deserves condemnation at all levels. The leadership said that the attempt to desecrate the pulpit of grand masjid was an attempt to damage the Kashmir struggle that is purely indigenous in nature.
The leadership said that at a time when people and the leadership are trying hard to take forward the ongoing “sacred movement that has countless sacrifices at its back”, some elements misusing the name of Islam with suspect identity are playing mischief to divide people of Kashmir on religious ideology and sectarian lines alien to our land and movement.
“Kashmir struggle is purely indigenous in nature where people are fighting New Delhi’s forcible control on Kashmir. Our goal is right to self-determination and our motivation is Islamic values of defending the truth and fight for justice,” they said adding that people should remain cautious and “not allow any attempt aimed at giving the Kashmir struggle a global colour by linking it with some global agenda a move that suits New Delhi by all means”.
“The enemy of Kashmir struggle that is on since 1947 is not only the authoritarian oppressor but deceitful designs and conspiracies of elements and agencies that manifest in different forms to damage the Kashmir struggle,” they said adding that Kashmiri people have offered sacrifices on all fronts, while New Delhi has left no stone unturned to muzzle the movement by all means and forms of repression.
They urged people, especially youth to stay vigilant and forge unity on all fronts so that the goal is achieved
Terming the last Friday’s attempt to desecrate the Jamia Masjid Pulpit as very unfortunate, the leaders said that conspiracies were hatched against the grand masjid, right from 1931 massacre to the martyrdom of Moulana Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq (RA). Mirwaiz Umar Farooq since age of 16 when under tragic circumstances took over stood against all odds and fought the conspiracies with full might and with the active support of people of Kashmir.
The leadership said that youth are the greatest assets of Kashmir struggle where elderly and women folk too have offered priceless sacrifices towards the freedom movement.
The leadership urged the youth to connect to leadership and visit the homes and offices of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik to give their suggestions and take on the movement and how to make it more robust and strengthen it. They may register their disapproval if any to leadership.
They said that Jamia Masjid is the central masjid of Kashmir with which people have a deep religious and emotional connection and the protection of it and its pulpit is the primary responsibility of every citizen of Kashmir.
They said that the pulpit of Jamia Masjid opposed the autocratic Dogra rule and since then, it is highlighting the pain and injustices inflicted on the people of Kashmir and demanding their right.
The leadership that they have already coined the slogan-‘Kashmir ka tarjuman, naujawan, naujawan’, and that they stand by it with the belief that youth have to take the ongoing movement forward as they are the vanguards of the movement.
It was reiterated that Anjuman-e-Auqaf, the managing body of Jamia Masjid, will not allow the repeat of the sacrilegious act committed by some masked goons last Friday and will put in their blood and sweat to protect the sanctity of the grand masjid.
The leadership also paid rich tributes to the martyrs of January 6, 1993, of Sopore wherein 53 innocent civilians were killed by the government forces, and announced that complete strike will be observed in Sopore on this day.
