Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 29: A group of youth after Friday prayers yesterday entered the historic Jamia Masjid and stood on the pulpit waving ISIS flags and raising slogans in favour of the Daulat-e-Islam, thus, desecrating its sanctity.
The incident took place in Jama Masjid in the afternoon after the prayers finished and people had left. The incident was recorded by his associates and put on the social networking sites.
The Managing body of the Masjid, Anjuman Auqaf of Jama Masjid, has strongly condemned the incident. “This clearly indicates that this incident was deliberate and planned. It has naturally led to shock and deep resentment among people and deeply hurt their sentiments associated with the mosque,” Auqaf said in a statement.
“The attempt to desecrate Jamia Masjid by this lumpen group of hooligans, whose identity is not known as yet as they hide it behind masks, nor the identity of those is known on whose behest they are indulging in these shameful acts, is strongly condemnable. It shows utter disregard of this group of miscreants for Islamic institutions, values and Islamic teachings. Such elements not only malign the name of Islam but also abuse it”, read the statement.
Anjuman has taken strong note of this shameful incident, and warned ‘elements or agencies behind this incident’ that people and Auqaf will not tolerate or allow anyone to violate the sanctity of the mosque and the pulpit at any cost.
“Jama Masjid is the spiritual, religious and political centre of the people of Kashmir, and is representative of our collective cultural heritage. Any attempt to harm it will be dealt with firmly,” Auqaf said.
Huriyat Conference leaders, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, have strongly condemned the incident. “Such attempts to desecrate the pulpit and such anti-Islamic acts would not be tolerated at any cost”, a statement issued here said.
They said that it is not the first time that such a shameful act of hooliganism has been done. “In the past too, some elements at the behest of certain agencies and handlers have indulged in rowdyism and hooliganism in and outside the Jama Masjid”, the statement said.