Mehbooba slams profiling of mosques, imams in IIOJK as interference in religion
Singling out mosques raises questions of fairness, intent: Social activist
Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has strongly condemned the surveillance and profiling of mosques and Imams in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), calling it a blatant attempt to interfere in religious affairs and instill fear among the people.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Mufti raised concerns about disproportionate targeting of Muslims and questioned why religious scrutiny was not applied to other religious institutions. “If the government truly wants to monitor religious leaders, why not start with temples?” she asked. She added that Indian police and agencies already possess complete details of land holdings and other information about mosques in IIOJK.
Mufti also criticized the authorities’ move to collect Aadhaar cards, photos, and profiles of Imams anew, terming it a deliberate effort to alienate Muslims from their religion and create a climate of fear. “Mosques and Imams are being profiled as if they are Over Ground Workers (OGWs),” she added.
She raised an alarm about the implications of this profiling, saying, “OGWs are summoned to police stations—will mosques now be treated as crime scenes? Will temples, Gurudwaras, or churches face the same scrutiny?” Mufti emphasized that this kind of surveillance isn’t happening anywhere else in India, it is only unique to IIOJK. She further expressed concern that this targeting of mosques in the occupied territory will soon spread across India.
Meanwhile, social activist Hakim Suhail, in a media interview, explained that when a masjid is established, there are already laws in place governing how it is run, “just as there are for temples, churches, and gurdwaras.”
“There should be no need for any additional agency to seek such details. If authorities believe data collection is necessary, it should apply uniformly to all places of worship. Singling out mosques alone raises serious questions about fairness and intent,” The income and expenditure of mosques are published every year by their management to ensure public transparency, and the law mandates the same for every religion, Suhail added.
