Muslim students being forced to sing 'Bhajans, Surya Namaskar' in IIOJK

The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir — a conglomerate of Kashmir’s religious clerics — on Sunday denounced the attempts being made to undermine the Muslim identity of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by asking Muslim students in schools and educational institutions to sing Hindu religious songs and do Surya Namaskar.

According to an official statement, a meeting of the conglomerate was held at Jama Masjid in Srinagar. The clerics said that the attempts hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and create anguish in them.

"The MMU Jammu and Kashmir expresses deep and serious concern over attempts being made to weaken the Muslim identity of this 'Valley of Saints' and strongly regrets activities being implemented through schools and educational institutions aimed at furthering the Hindutva agenda in Kashmir," it added.

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"This meeting expresses serious resentment against imposing acts in the name of yoga and morning prayers in educational institutions wherein Muslim students are made to chant Bhajans and at times asked to perform Surya Namaskar. This is against the fundamentals of our religious practices."

The press release said that the meeting notifies the government, education department and concerned agencies that such activities will not be tolerated by the Muslims in IIOJK as it is a direct challenge to their religious and Islamic beliefs.

"As such MMU appeals to the government and authorities concerned to immediately withdraw its orders and stop such practices in educational institutions, which deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and cause them grief."

The meeting urged the parents that if their children are forced to participate in un-Islamic activities in government schools, they should withdraw their children from these schools and enrol them in private schools. It also urged Muslim teachers to avoid promoting such unIslamic activities and give preference to their faith and Imaan.

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The MMU expressed satisfaction that Friday prayers and five daily prayers are now being allowed by the authorities at central Jama Masjid Srinagar and people are not being stopped from assembling at the mosque as such appeals to authorities to now release its patron and Mirwaiz Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq and end his illegal house arrest since August 2019, in wake of the coming holy month of Rabiul Awwal so that he can pursue his religious obligations and duties.

The meeting also raised its voice in strong protest against tarnishing the reputation of Islamic centres and Muslim institutions in IIOJK by arbitrary arrests of Islamic scholars, preachers and imams and booking them under PSA and sending them to outside Jails. "It condemns this act and calls for their immediate release," it further said.