Separatists unite on shutdown over ‘desecration’ to Kashmir mosque

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

______

SRINAGAR, Jun 26: Even as Police on Friday took on the violent demonstrators on premises of the summer capital’s largest mosque after the congregational prayers, separatists have yet again joined hands to enforce a protest shutdown in Srinagar on Saturday.

On last Friday---the first of the holy month of Ramazan---most of the Kashmiri separatist leaders had been detained either at their residences or the neighbouring Police Stations as they had, after years of split, issued a joint call for a mass march to Sopore to protest six civilian killings by unidentified gunmen in a row. The bandh had a remarkable impact.

However, a week after, authorities lifted restrictions and permitted Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the cleric-politician and Chairman of Hurriyat Conference’s moderate faction, to deliver his weekly sermon at the prayers at Jamia Masjid. Thousands of devout Muslims attended the sermon followed by the afternoon (Zuhar) prayers.

While Mirwaiz left back for his Nageen residence in a Police protected cavalcade, some of the withdrawing people shouted high-pitch pro-Azadi, pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans. A few of them were seen carrying Pakistani flags. No sooner did the Police stop them from marching towards Nowhatta than they resorted to intense stone pelting on the columns and the Police vehicles.

During the ding dong clashes that lasted for around half an hour, Police chased the violent demonstrators and clashed with them on the mosque premises. Anjuman-e-Jamia Auqaf functionaries, as also the association of the Jamia Masjid traders, called for a protest shutdown in Srinagar on Saturday. They alleged that Police committed “desecration” of the mosque while firing tearsmoke canisters and pellets “inside Jamia Masjid”. Over a dozen protestors and Policemen sustained injuries.

Officials said that one protestor sustained grievous injuries and he was quickly evacuated to hospital.

Towards the end of the clashes, some unidentified but well identifiable people attacked some photojournalists with the allegation that they been provoking clashes and demonstrations at Jamia Masjid every Friday. Eyewitnesses said that Police watched the attack as mute spectators helplessly from a distance.

Heads of both factions of Hurriyat---Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani---besides other prominent separatist leaders supported the shutdown call of Anjuman-e-Jamia Auqaf and the local traders. In their separately issued statements, the separatist leaders condemned the Police action on the people inside the mosque and held Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s government responsible for “desecration” of the main mosque. Officials contradicted reports of desecration and asserted that a routine clash had occurred between some urchins and Police outside the mosque.

Till late on Friday night, authorities had not imposed prohibitory orders but officials holding senior positions in Police and civil administration said that “informal curfew” could be enforced if demonstrators seemed to turn violent in downtown Srinagar like on last Friday.

END