Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 28: Stating that religion is dominating force in Jammu and Kashmir, Government today rejected a newspaper report which claimed police are placing Muslim clergy under surveillance in the Valley.
“The newspapers are an important source of information. But it isn’t necessary that everything what newspapers publish is true. I think this news has no basis,” said Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, in Legislative Council.
“We live in a society where there is domination of religion. So, it is impossible to have anything from any Government like this for any religion here including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity. So, there is nothing like this,” the Minster, who is also Government spokesman, said.
Earlier, Congress lawmaker Ghulam Nabi Monga and National Conference lawmaker, Showkat Hussain Ganai, sought clarification from the Government with regard to the newspaper report that claimed that police in Kashmir are preparing list of Imams and clerics to keep a check on their activities.
The Minister, however, said that the State is not intervening into the affairs of religious leaders and has respect for them. “We have complete respect for religious leaders and as Chief Minister said there is nothing like State is trying to intervene in the religious duties of clerics,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister termed the surfacing of pictures of unidentified Kashmiri kids holding wooden toy guns in social media “a cause of concern” and said the Government will look into the matter. The Minister’s response came after legislators from Opposition National Conference and also ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue in the Upper House.
The House chairman Haji Anayat Ali meanwhile directed the Government to look into the matter.
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