Eid-ul-Fitr prayers were disallowed once again this year at 𝔍the histori♔c Jamia Masjid in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar on Saturday.
Authorities barred prayers at the region's largest mosque in downtown Srinagar's Nowhatta area, the spot which has witnessed frequent clashes and political rallies in the 🍷past.
Many people who had come to ✤offer prayers at the region's largest mosque were left dejected after seeing the gates locked.
Some people termed the prohibition an "interference" in religious matters of the region, while others said it "exposes" the administration's claim that the s𒁃ituation has been peacefu🍃l in Kashmir post Article 370 abrogation.
The s💃ecurity personnel at the gates told people that prayers will not take place at the mosque.
🌱"Is E🎐id prayer a threat to peace? I fail to understand," said an elderly man, identifying as Ghulam Hasan.
An official told Outlook that the decision to bar prayers at the historic mosque was taken afte𒐪r pro-Azadi sloganeering ﷽took place yesterday at the mosque post congregational Friday prayers, which was also the last Friday of holy Ramadan.
The pray🅰ers were also barred at the mosque on the fourth Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
Earlier, prayers were allowed at the mosque on the auspicious night of Shab-e-Qadr, 🧸when night-long prayers were held at the mosque.
Srinagar's Jamia🃏 Masjid has been continuously closed since 5 August♔ 2019, when the region was stripped of its autonomy and made a union territory.
Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has been leading prayers at the mosque, is not allowed to conduct the prayers at the mosque anymore. The administration, however, claims that Mirwaiz is a "free man", something that was also reiterated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
