Srinagar, April 27 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided not to allow Jumat ul vida congregational prayers as well as Shab-e-Qadr prayers at historic Jamia Masjid in old Srinagar, the managing committee of the mosque said on Wednesday evening.
Shab-e-Qadr (the Night of power ) which is considered to be the holiest night of the fasting month of Ramzan is being observed in Kashmir on Thursday night. Next day Jumat ul vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramzan, would be observed.
In a statement, Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said government and Police officials headed by a magistrate visited the mosque premises this evening after Iftar and conveyed to the members that authorities have decided not to allow night longs prayers on Shab e Qadr and Jumat ul vida.. “Anjumam strongly denounces this decision of the authorities,” it said Only last month, J&K authorities allowed congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar after 30 weeks.
On the first Friday of Ramazan, protests broke out at the Jamia mosque after the congregational prayer with some men allegedly shouting ‘azadi’ slogans. Police later arrested 13 people on charges of sedition over raising “azadi” slogans. Police had also claimed that there was a Pakistani link to these protests.
