Adm asks clerics to desist from inciting violence
4 civilians injured in Militant firing
Mudassir Ahmad
SRINAGAR: With security forces facing tough times to deal with the ongoing crisis in Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Military Intelligence have warned Moulvis (religious preaching) do desisit from inciting violence by playing pro-freedom taranas in Mosques.
The Kashmir valley is on turmoil since July 8 after killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani. Since than over 4000 people have been injured and around 60 died during clashes. Post Burhan Wani killing, many people in Kashmir have been playing Taranas in mosques on loudspeakers euologizing him, other militants and chanting pro-freedom slogans. Most of these poems are being played during the evening and night hours, which as per sources had become a cause of concern for the forces.
Now Police and Military Intelligence according to sources have jointly moved in to ‘rein in' Molvis (religious preachers) and mosque heads in order to desist them from playing pro-freedom taranas. Sources said that the direction have come after public address system of mosques were widely used by the protestors to play eulogies and pro-freedom slogans in Kashmir.
“The molvis have been asked to discourage youth from playing the elegies of militants in mosques. The directions have been passed by the police and central intelligence agencies to Molvis in various volatile areas of Kashmir especially in south Kashmir,” they said.
Sources said that the enforcing agencies have also asked the religious preachers to desist from delivering pro-freedom sermons in the mosques saying it was intensifying the protests in Kashmir.
“They (Molvis) have also been asked not to incite people by delivering pro-freedom sermons. At many places the sloganeering intensifies after Molvis make dua related to the freedom. Strict directions have been passed from past few days to the religious preachers and mosque head in the regard,” they said.
Sources added that police has also warned that it will register FIR against the mosque heads and persons if found sloganeering or playing pro-freedom eulogies. “Same directions have been passed to the masjid committees as well that FIR will be registered against those who play or preach anything anti-national,” they said.
A senior police official said a tarana (poem) eulogizing Burhan Wani “Moun Burhan chuen Burhan aus shahsawar soun Burhan (My Burhan, your Burhan, he was our freedom fighter)” has become a cause of concern for the security agencies as some youth seem to connect it emotionally. To counter the playing of pro-freedom Taranas in mosques, the security forces in retaliation are too playing patriotic Bollywood songs on the loudspeakers in their camps in various parts of Kashmir.
