Srinagar: Taking a strong exception to the alleged harassment of Ulema by police and raids on Islamic seminaries, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani Wednesday called for peaceful one-hour protests after prayers this Friday against “the police intervention in religious matters.â€
Geelani said the police was transgressing its professional limits by “asking Islamic seminaries to complete registration for functioning.â€
“We don’t need permission from anyone to teach Holy Quran. The police should refrain from talking on such sensitive issues. Also, Islamic seminaries in Jammu and Kashmir are purely involved in rendering religious education, and   not any militant activities,†Geelani said in a statement issued.
Geelani said such acts amounted to “brazen interference in our religious affairs and would not be tolerated†while appealing people to stage peaceful protests post Friday prayers this week against the “police highhandedness.â€
Taking a dig at the state government, Geelani said the Indian home ministry was running the affairs of the state through police and other forces while “the local administration’s mandate is limited to repairing roads and bridges.â€
“Daily press conferences by police officers on political matters show that the state has been turned into a police state and law and constitution have been suspended. Instead of starting a political process, New Delhi is trying to muzzle the voice of Kashmiris through the barrel of gun,†he said.
The Hurriyat(G) chairman also ridiculed the police’s claim that last year’s summer agitation was run by “criminals and timber smugglers.â€
“Were lakhs of people who came out on streets to protest killings and Indian oppression criminals? Or where the 112 civilians killed by CRPF and police timber smugglers. The police should respect its uniform, speak truth and stop acting a mouthpiece of cunning politicians,†he said.
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