'It should start with temples': Mehbooba Mufti on profiling of mosques in Kashmir

Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the profiling of mosques and imams in Kashmir was an interference in the religious matters of Muslims.

The former chief minister said if religious places require profiling, it should start with temples across the country.

"The latest order for mosques is interference in our religious affairs. If they have to do it, then they should start with other religions. Let them seek the details about priests in temples, and in which temple can shudras go and in which can Brahmins go," Mufti told reporters here.

The PDP president said the authorities should also seek information about the money that is paid for entering temples.

"The police already have the record of the number of mosques in J-K and how much land they have. But now, seeking details of maulvis, imams, their photos, Aadhar cards and doing this much profiling are an attempt to intimidate and keep Muslims away from their religion in J-K," she said.

Mehbooba said imams and the management committees of mosques are terrified by the profiling exercise.

"This five-page proforma has been made in such a way that it seems they are not imams or maulvis or teachers or members of masjid committees, but they are OGWs (over ground workers). The way OGWs are harassed and asked to give all their details in a police station, in the same way, details are being sought from mosques as if these are crime scenes," she said.

The former chief minister dared the government to do similar profiling of gurudwaras and churches.

Mehbooba said she feared that the government might replicate this profiling with mosques across the country.

"First, they laid their hands on the waqf properties, and now they want to lay their hands on mosques which are not even waqf properties. They are also seeking details about sects.

"What do they have to do about the sects with which we are associated? Mosques are open for all irrespective of sects. It is not like that Dalits cannot enter," she said.

Mehbooba said it was unfortunate that the government is silent and they are not talking about this.

"They have a habit that wherever they fail, they say this was done by PDP and Mufti. They have no answer to any question," she said.

On the dismissal of five government employees, the PDP president said people are arrested or terminated from employment just based on accusations.

"Has it been proved in any court of law or investigations? Did they get an opportunity to present their case that they are innocent? What is this? How much hatred do they have against Muslims?" she asked.

Asked about the demand made by some BJP leaders for a separate Jammu state, Mehbooba said they will suffer the most if this demand were met.

"When Darbar Move was suspended in 2019, they felt restless. When they seek a separate state for Jammu, Jammu will suffer the most," she said.

Mehbooba said the controversy around the setting up of the National Law University was an issue for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to resolve.

On Abdullah's statement on the Indus Water Treaty, she said the chief minister wanted to toe the BJP line on the issue.

"Weaponising water is against humanity. I think it is against humanity to stop water flow to any country. Omar wants to toe the same line as that of the BJP that they have to deprive the people of Pakistan of water, then be it.

"But I want to ask Omar about our power projects which were given by Farooq Abdullah to the NHPC because of which we are suffering huge losses? Does Omar guarantee us that the losses we faced because of giving power projects to NHPC on peanuts, would the government of India provide relief to the people of J-K for that? Will they compensate us for the losses?" she asked.