Srinagar administration bans Eid prayers at Jama Masjid & Eidgah, controversy ensues

To prevent potential protests, the administration in Srinagar has banned congregational Eid prayers at Jama Masjid and Eidgah, the main prayer locations in the city.

The decision, which has been implemented for several years, aims to maintain law and order in an area once known for violent protests.

The Anjuman Auqaf, the body responsible for managing the grand mosque in Srinagar, was notified by authorities on Wednesday about the prohibition of Eid prayers at Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta and Eid-Gah. The exact reasons for the ban were not disclosed by the administration.

Expressing their dissatisfaction, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid criticized the decision, considering it unfortunate and condemnable. They stated that the ban on prayers at Eid-Gah, a historic location for community prayers, has hurt the sentiments of thousands of Muslims in the valley and beyond, reflecting a dismal situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Molvi Umar Farooq, the head cleric of Jama Masjid and a separatist leader, has been in continuous detention since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. The Anjuman Auqaf expressed disappointment over his prolonged detention despite numerous requests for his release from religious, political, social, and civil society groups. Traditionally, Molvi Umar delivers the Eid sermon at Eid-Gah before Eid prayers.

This is not the first time that authorities have prohibited congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid. In April, they also disallowed Jumat-ul-Vida congregational prayers, drawing criticism from Hurriyat and regional political parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Conference (NC), J&K Apni Party, and the Hurriyat, who argued that it contradicted claims of normalcy in "Naya Kashmir."