Omar Abdullah slams mosque closures for Eid al-Fitr, questions ‘normal’ narrative

Srinagar\Jammu: Chief Minister of J&K Omar Abdullah Expressed serious concern on Saturday over blocking of Eid prayers srinagarJamia Masjid, the historic Jamia Masjid, calling it “deplorable” and questioning the LG Manoj Sinha-led government’s assertion that the Union Territory is “normal”.“In J&K, people are offering Eid prayers. But prayers are not allowed in Jamia Masjid. This exposes the government that controls security and law and order. They have repeatedly said that the situation is completely normal. Is it normal that prayers are not allowed in the largest mosque in Srinagar?”He expressed hope that the decisions would be reviewed and people allowed to pray freely. As per the UT arrangements in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the police and security services come under the purview of LG Sinha.Mirwaiz Umar FarooqKashmir’s chief cleric, who preached at the Jamia Masjid, said he was under house arrest and the shrine was locked. Mirwaiz shared a photo of the locked mosque on X, noting that this is the seventh year of restrictions. “For Muslims, a day of celebration turned into sadness and denial. It is a travesty of our times that those who blockaded our mosques and Eid Mubarak were the first to wish us Eid Mubarak,” Mirwaiz wrote.Apart from Omar who extended Eid greetings to people, LG Sinha is also one of the important public figures. LG posted: “This holy festival embodies the noble spirit of sacrifice and the joy of sharing. May Eid al-Fitr bring peace, prosperity and happiness to all.”Mirwaiz said he was placed under house arrest on Friday and authorities “blocked alleys and side streets with hexagonal wire fences, prohibiting movement.” Mirwaiz was under house arrest for four years after the abrogation of Article 370 and has faced regular restrictions since his release in September 2023, with police detaining him at his home ahead of Friday prayers and Eid.This time, the J&K police did not comment on the restrictions, saying the prayers in Srinagar were peaceful and urging people to celebrate responsibly.In Jammu, however, the festival is filled with enthusiasm, traditional joy and special prayers for an end to the conflict in West Asia.People in festive attire crowded the venues. The main gathering is held on Eid-ul-Fitr, where thousands of people perform Eid prayers. Jammu Omar National Conference (NC) president Rattan Lal Gupta visited the site and highlighted the community-friendly tradition of the area.NC MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri lamented that global conflicts have led to rising prices and hardship. “We pray that wisdom prevails, that the (Iranian) war ends and that people find relief from suffering. We also pray for peace and brotherhood in our country,” Vieri said.