J&K government pulls out all stops to curb pro-Palestinian protests
As the Israel-Hamas war continues to escalate, the Jammu and Kashmir government is taking stringent steps to thwart protests in the region. Per The Telegraph, the local administration locked up Imam Bargah Ayatullah Yousuf's Imambada in Srinagar's Bemina area. A senior Shia leader, Aga Syed Mohammad Hadi, was also put on house arrest in Budgam on Friday, The Kashmiriyat reported. His alleged detention came ahead of a pro-Palestine protest that was scheduled in Bemina.
Why does this story matter?
Kashmir is a predominately Muslim area, with approximately 96 percent of its population following Islam. Out of them, nearly 25 percent are Shias, while the remaining are Sunnis. Amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Muslims all across the world have rallied in support of innocent Palestinian civilians. The demonstrations were exacerbated by the recent stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian boy. Just last week, Shias in Kashmir took to the streets to voice their opinion against the "Israeli occupation."
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir's chief cleric and leader of the Hurriyat Conference's moderate faction, has also been under house arrest since October 15, as per Anjuman Auqaf. Farooq was recently permitted to attend routine prayers at the Jamia Masjid following four years of house confinement. Notably, he has been under the radar of the authorities for his anti-Indian comments. In a statement attributed to Farooq, Anjuman Auqaf said, "Such measures belie the claim of normality that the authorities make."
Friday congregational prayers barred at Jamia Masjid
For the second week in a row, the government prohibited Friday congregational prayers at the main Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Kashmir, due to fears of possible protests against Israel's airstrikes on Gaza. The mosque's managing body, Anjuman Auqaf, reported that police shut the entrance gates and stopped them from reopening for Friday prayers. The historic mosque has been a place for local gatherings and has played a pivotal role in the altering socio-political landscape of the Kashmir Valley.
All about Israel-Hamas war
The death toll from the ongoing Israel-Hamas war reached 4,137 on Saturday, with the majority of them being civilians. The United Nations (UN) confirmed that nearly 70 percent of the people killed in the Gaza Strip were children and women. In a first, Hamas authorities released two American captives, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, on Friday. United States (US) President Joe Biden, meanwhile, said that he will send an urgent budget request to aid Israel.
