Srinagar, Aug 28: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) has strongly expressed the recent announcement by the Waqf Board regarding the recruitment of Imams and Muazzins with degrees and has raised concerns about the “underlying motivations” behind the decision.
In a statement issued here, the party’s chief spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari criticized the move, saying, “It seems to be an attempt to implement the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which aims to gain control over the pulpit of mosques and Khanqahs in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Bukhari noted that the pulpit holds immense significance as the seat of leadership for Muslims, where spiritual guidance and teachings are imparted. He expressed his reservations that this move might be an effort to regulate and influence the discourse within these religious institutions, thereby infringing upon the religious freedom of the Muslim community.
Highlighting the party’s concerns, Bukhari posed a thought-provoking question, “If this idea is truly beneficial, why is the BJP not implementing it in the case of religious places of other faiths? Places where gatherings promote incendiary rhetoric, even advocating for the open genocide of Muslims.” He emphasized that this apparent discrepancy raises doubts about the true intentions behind the decision and suggests an element of selective targeting.
He termed the decision as a direct interference and an attack on the religious institutions of Jammu and Kashmir. “Such interference and attempts to control religious expressions will not be tolerated by the people of the region,” he said.
The PDP spokesperson urged all segments of society, as well as the political leadership across the spectrum in Jammu and Kashmir, to unite and resist this move, which he believes poses a threat to the religious freedom and autonomy of their institutions. “We at JKPDP reaffirm our commitment to uphold the principles of religious freedom, diversity, and autonomy of religious institutions,” he said.
