4 months ago
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The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s reported determination to illustration Kashmir’s mosques, its ideology and the caretakers connected Tuesday (January 13, 2026) evoked crisp disapproval from governmental and Muslim spiritual leaders, who described it arsenic “intrusive” and “threatening”.
A spokesperson for the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a conglomerate of Islamic spiritual organisations successful J&K, described the constabulary profiling arsenic “intrusive”. “It seeks accusation regarding mosques, their absorption committees, Imams, Khatibs and individuals associated with places of worship and adjacent their household members,” the MMU, headed by Kashmir main cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said.
According to the MMU, the constabulary were distributing multi-page forms and sought “highly idiosyncratic and delicate information”.
“These details, including backstage recognition details, household particulars, fiscal information, telephone details, integer and societal media profiles, passport details, question past and adjacent Phone IMEI details different idiosyncratic information of each those connected with moving and absorption of mosques,” the MMU said.
The MMU said the mosque’s ideological sect, similar Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi oregon Ahle-Hadith, was besides being sought. “Such an unprecedented and invasive information postulation workout has caused wide anxiousness among spiritual institutions, Imams, Khateebs and the nationalist successful general,” the MMU said.
“This workout is successful implicit usurpation of cardinal rights and the close to privateness and idiosyncratic accusation adjacent guaranteed nether the Constitution. Mosques are ineffable institutions meant for worship, guidance and assemblage service, and their interior spiritual affairs cannot beryllium subjected to arbitrary surveillance and intrusive scrutiny,” it added.
‘Govt. indispensable intervene’
The MMU sought involution of the elected authorities successful this matter. “Such an workout indispensable beryllium stopped forthwith, arsenic it undermines trust, creates fearfulness among spiritual functionaries and sends a disturbing connection to the Muslim community. Measures that azygous retired mosques and spiritual unit successful this mode are unjustified, counterproductive and harmful to societal harmony,” the MMU said.
It besides urged the authorities to retreat this workout without hold and “respect the autonomy of spiritual institutions, and uphold the law guarantees of spiritual freedom, privateness and dignity of citizens”.
NC MP condemns move
Ruling National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah besides condemned the move. “Police, quality agencies, and paramilitary forces are targeting spiritual institutions successful a mode that singles retired definite faiths. This is not a regular law-and-order issue. It is simply a task of a peculiar right-wing ideology which wants to power religions that bash not conform to the RSS worldview,” Mr. Ruhullah said.
Stating that the Constitution guaranteed practise and propagation of religion without fear, Mr.Ruhullah said, “Extra layers of monitoring beyond existing databases similar Aadhaar awesome intimidation and imaginable interference successful sermons, turning spiritual signifier into a controlled activity. Tomorrow, mosque preachers whitethorn beryllium told what sermons to present and what not to deliver. That would mean the functioning of religion itself is being brought nether control,” the MP said.
He said singling retired spiritual institutions “conveys a unsafe and destabilising signal”.
Staggering overreach: JKPC person
J&K Peoples Conference person and Shia cleric Imran Reza Ansari besides expressed interest implicit the move. “The profiling of mosques and spiritual unit successful Kashmir is simply a staggering overreach that demands a superior rethink. Even during the Valley’s darkest and astir volatile periods, we ne'er saw this level of intrusion into the ineffable abstraction of the masjid,” Mr. Ansari said.
He said this level of granular surveillance, treating spiritual leaders arsenic “Persons of Interest is simply a nonstop stroke to their dignity”.
“For the alleged mistakes of a few, an full religion and its practitioners cannot beryllium subjected to corporate punishment and systemic suspicion. The applicable fallout volition beryllium devastating. We person galore pious authorities employees and professionals who pb Salah successful their section mosques retired of axenic devotion. Faced with this level of harassment and data-mining, galore volition simply garbage to pb prayers to support their privateness and livelihoods,” Mr. Ansari said.
The J&K Police person neither disputed nor confirmed the allegations of profiling of mosques and the caretakers successful Kashmir.
