Ganderbal clash political, not sectarian: Jamaat

‘Don’t think of repeating 1979. Much of water has flown down the Jhelum’, Geelani warns Omar Abdullah’s NC

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 7: Even as Jamaat-e-Islami today claimed that Monday’s group clash, that left one of the organisation’s activists killed and several others wounded at Sindhbal village of Ganderbal, was “political, not sectarian”, JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik described it as a “blot on the face of entire nation”.

“It was a purely political clash, not religious or sectarian”, Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, Sheikh Ghulam Hassan, asserted at a news conference at the party’s headquarters at Batmaloo today. He elaborated: “National Conference’s goons, led by their Sarpanch, carried out this heinous attack on the people performing prayers at the mosque. They are disturbed over Jamaat’s growing influence in Ganderbal area”. Sheikh claimed that Jamaat was never in favour of clashes and conflicts, nor did it ever believe in carrying out attacks on its rivals.

“Jamaat believes in conveying its ideas peacefully. This is all about a political conflict and not a religious or sectarian issue”, he said and asked Police to resist all political influences and hold an impartial investigation into the circumstances that led to yesterday’s group clash and death of a Jamaat worker. Jamaat’s local Nazim-e-Halqa, Noor Mohammad Shah, has sustained serious injuries in the same group clash.

Jamaat’s chief  alleged that the ruling NC’s Sarpanch, Mohammad Subhan Wani, had already asked the slain youth, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, to close down teaching of holy Quran at the mosque and threatened him to face dire consequences in case of default. He claimed that yesterday’s attack on the Jamaat people was a “well planned attack”. He said that reports of the ‘sectarian clash’ were not correct as all residents of the disturbed village were followers of ‘Hanafi Maslak’.

In a separately issued statement, Chairman of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, too held the ruling National Conference responsible for attacking the Muslim gathering during prayers at the mosque. He alleged that attacking its ideological and political rivals was characteristic of the NC, which, according to him, had always believed in crushing opponents with force and muscle power.

“However, these people must understand that much of water has flown down the Jhelum since they destroyed properties of Jamaat-e-Islami followers in riots in 1979. This in not going to be repeated as there is now no space for this party of fascist thinking”, Geelani warned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s mainstream political party. He alleged that occupying mosques and replacing Imams by Panches, Sarpanches, paid agents and ‘Sarkari Maulvis’ was part of an Indian conspiracy to debilitate the Kashmiris’ “freedom struggle”.

According to Geelani, NC was had already captured a large number of Wakf properties, shrines and mosques through a governmental body and it was now attempting to gain control on other mosques and places of worship with the complicity of some ‘Sarkari Maulvis’. He alleged that stoking the fire of sectarian passions was a gameplan of the Indian agencies assigned to their paid agents and clerics.

“These people (NC activists) are loyal to India and her paid agents. They alone have handed over Kashmir on a platter to Delhi. They are the chronic enemies of the followers of our religion and can go to any extent in wiping them out”, Geelani said while calling yesterday’s killing “a clear case of state terrorism”.

Chairman of Hurriyat’s so-called moderate faction, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that it was unfortunate that the blood of a Muslim had been spilt at a mosque at the time of prayers in the holy month of Ramzan. He condemned the incident and called upon people of all faiths and ideologies to remain united for preserving the sacrifices of thousands of Kashmiris for freedom from India.

In yet another reaction, JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik, who visited Sindhbal village today and called on the bereaved family, described yesterday’s group clash and death of a youth in the melee “a blot on the entire nation”. He said that the clash had unfortunately occurred in hours of JKLF holding a conference on unity of all sects and schools of thought.  

“This is a serious incident and a shame for the whole nation. Nation should mourn this killing as it is killing of humanity and against the teachings of Islam”, Malik said. “This killing is a blot on the face of nation. Those who committed the crime are enemies of Islam. As a nation it is a matter of concern for us and a litmus test for Ulema and religious organizations. We have to rise above our petty interests and find a solution how to curb sectarian clashes,” JKLF chairman added.

Malik said that the gravity of the situation deserved a fresh and keen look by all of us especially the Ulema and religious leaders and parties which have a much bigger role to play.

Stressing the need for unity among the Muslims, Malik called upon the Ulema, scholars, Imams and Khateebs of all Masalaks to raise above their sectarian considerations and interests and fight together all the conspiracies aimed at dividing Umah in the name of Maslaks.

Demanding stern action against the killers, Malik said, “The family of the deceased has lodged an FIR against the killers. We strongly demand that they should be booked under section 302 and stern punishment should be awarded to the killers so that no one dared to repeat such acts in future.”

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