'Even Our Religious Rights Trampled': Outrage in Kashmir as Annual Congregation Disallowed

Srinagar: For the first time, the J&K government disallowed an annual religious congregation in the summer capital of Srinagar, citing ‘security reasons’.

Every year, tens of thousands of people from across Kashmir converge at Dargah Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal Lake to participate in the Eid-Milad-un-Nabi procession to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.

On Sunday, however, the government did not allow people from outside Hazratbal to participate in the religious programme, held on 12th day of the third month of the Islamic calendar.

An official said the government issued verbal directions to ensure that the celebrations are limited to a “localised affair”.

“There is no written order but only verbal directions have been passed to ensure people from outside don’t converge at the shrine,” said a senior police official. “Since Section 144 of the CrPc, barring four or more people from assembling, continues to be in place, no large gathering would be allowed anywhere.”

Roads cordoned off

All roads leading to the shrine were sealed with pools of concertina wire. At some places, the J&K police erected drop-gates on the roads to prevent “outsiders” from travelling towards the shrine. Even the link roads that lead to the Lal-Chowk-Hazratbal road were closed down.

“Only those people who live in the vicinity of the shrine in Hazrabtal would be allowed to offer congregational prayers there,” said the official.

The impact of the government diktat was visible inside and around the shrine. During previous years, the entire area housing the shrine would remain jam-packed with devotees, who would participate in night-long prayers during the congregation – also known as Eid Milad. The devotees also get a glimpse of the holy relic housed inside the shrine, which is displayed at the end of every prayer for two days.

The holy relic of Prophet Muhammad is displayed after every prayer. Photo: Mudasir Ahmad/The Wire

On Sunday, only locals were allowed to offer afternoon prayers. They too, however, were furious over the government’s move.

“Stopping people from participating in the Milad celebrations is an interference in our religious practices,” said Muhammad Maqbool of Nageen locality, which is less than a kilometre from the shrine.

He said people from all corners of Kashmir arrive at the shrine to seek blessings. “Not only our political rights, but even our religious rights are being trampled upon,” said 56-year-old Maqbool, outside the shrine. “This is for the first time that the government has taken such a drastic step.”

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Ever since the government of India diluted Article 370 on August 5 – a move that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its separate flag and constitution, Kashmir has remained tense. The state was also bifurcated into two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh.

Fearing backlash in the Valley, the government has imposed strict restrictions on public movement and suspended all means of communication, including internet and mobile services.

Though the authorities lifted the restriction on movement last month and allowed post-paid mobile services to be resumed, public traffic is off the roads and markets remains shut in the Valley as a mark of protest against the Centre’s move.

Section 144 remains in place as the government fears that assembly of people could turn into “Aazadi protests”.

‘Attack on religious freedom’

But for many devotees like Showkat Nabi of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the restrictions were a “direct attack on people’s right to practice religion”. Thirty-four-year-old Nabi and his father were stopped by police at Saida Kadal and disallowed to proceed towards the shrine.

“For the past 24 years, I have come to the Dargah for Milad celebrations,” said Nabi. “I was shocked to find that police aren’t allowing people to participate in the celebrations this time. We were only told that there are orders not to allow anybody towards Dargah.”

An administrator of the shrine said the Milad celebration commences a week ahead of the congregation day on 12th day of the third month of the Islamic calendar.

“During these days, thousands of people visit the shrine to offer prayers. Under normal circumstances, there would have been a congregation of 50,000-70,000 devotees,” said the administrator, wishing not to be named. “But only locals were allowed to participate in the celebrations this time.”

Another senior police official defended the restriction. “We can’t afford to allow thousands of people to travel and congregate in the present security scenario.”

Only locals from Hazratbal and adjoining areas were allowed to congregate on Sunday. Photo: Mudasir Ahmad/The Wire

Eid prayers not allowed

After the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the local government has not allowed any major congregations prayers, including for Eid prayers.

Earlier this month, the government prevented thousands of people from holding special annual prayers at the Khwaja Naqshband Sahib shrine in the old city.

The shrine is visited by thousands of devotees for annual congregational prayers called Khoja Digar. On November 2 however, police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed in strength to prevent people from reaching the shrine.

Khoja Digar is a special mass prayers held after the afternoon prayers. According to historical accounts, the practice has been in place for 405 years.

The government has not allowed Friday congregational prayers at historic Jamia mosque since the August 5 move. The mosque is located in the Nowata chowk in the old city.

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Much before the militancy erupted in Kashmir in 1989, the mosque emerged as an important platform to debate the Kashmir conflict. The Valley’s head cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is under house arrest for the past three months, delivers Friday sermons at the mosque which revolve around the Kashmir conflict.

The practice to close the mosque for extended periods first started in 2008, when violence erupted in Kashmir against the transfer of forest land in Pahalgam to the Amarnath Board. The decision of the government to prevent people from offering Friday prayers for weeks together led to massive outrage that year. Since then, the mosque is often closed down when the law and order situation in Kashmir deteriorates.