Eid prayers denied at Srinagar's Jama Masjid for 8th year in row

SRINAGAR: Authorities in Srinagar on Wednesday denied Eid prayers at the historic Eidgah and Jama Masjid in the old city for the eighth consecutive year, while Hurriyat chairman and chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was also placed under house arrest, according to news agency PTI.Reacting to the restrictions, chief cleric Mirwaiz said on X, “For the eighth consecutive year, Muslims of Kashmir have been denied the right to offer Eid prayers at the historic Eidgah/Jama Masjid, and I have been placed under house arrest.”He alleged that people in Kashmir were facing restrictions even on the occasion of Eid. “On the revered and celebratory occasion of Eid, Muslims of Kashmir are greeted with barricades, restrictions, locked gates and intimidation,” he said. Calling the situation deeply painful, he added, “This is not governance; it is a systematic assault on our religious identity, dignity and fundamental rights which deeply hurts us.” The Mirwaiz further said it was unfortunate that many children in Kashmir were growing up without experiencing Eid prayers at the Eidgah. “An entire generation is being deprived of knowing their traditions and making memories that have shaped our collective life for centuries,” he said. He also asserted that “faith cannot be imprisoned or suppressed through force”. “But let those in power know that no power on earth can erase the deep spiritual bond people of Kashmir share with Eidgah, Jama Masjid and their religious institutions,” he asserted.