Not allowed to attend Friday prayers, bid to pressurise me: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq 

Chief cleric of Kashmir Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. File.
| Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR

Hurriyat chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday (April 18, 2025) accused the authorities of deliberately disallowing him to lead congregation prayers at historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar in a bid to “pressurise him”.

“Every Friday, I am put under arbitrary house arrest. Putting pressure on me not to speak up, the ban also aims to weaken the centrality of Muslim institutions of the valley, Jama Masjid, office of the Mirwaiz, and cause collective grief to Muslims and all those who oppose this authoritarian and sectarian outlook,” the Mirwaiz said, in a post on X.

He said his house detention case was still pending in court. “I am seeking relief from the High Court. In such times, patience remains our only strength,” the Mirwaiz said.

The Mirwaiz’s political outfit, Awami Action Committee (AAC), was also banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Of late, the Mirwaiz said he has repeatedly been denied permission to visit the Jama Masjid in Srinagar on Fridays, where he delivers sermons as a cleric. The Mirwaiz has also spearheaded the anti-Waqf (Amendments) Act agitation in J&K. 

The J&K Police comes under J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha and has not issued any statement over the move to restrict the movement of the Mirwaiz. 

The ruling National Conference (NC) took exception to the move to bar the Mirwaiz from attending Friday prayers. “Preventing a religious leader from carrying out his religious obligations is deeply unjust. Genuine normalcy must extend to everyone without exception,” NC leader and legislator Tanvir Sadiq said.