By IRNA,
Srinagar, India : Holiest Islamic shrine in Kashmir remained shut for fifth consecutive day Wednesday and no prayers could be offered there despite this being holy month of Ramadan.
Residents are protesting the desecration of the shrine by local policemen and demand their removal before prayers can be resumed.
They are also demanding shifting of the police barracks from the shrine premises and ritual ablution of the holy place as is customary in Kashmir after every such incident.
Armed police personnel had allegedly entered the holy shrine premises with their shoes on and beaten up the devotees present there for raising pro-freedom slogans after the prayers last week.
The shrine, which houses the relic of Prophet of Islam (P) has eversince remained closed and people have been offering daily prayers on the roads outside the vast shrine complex.
Expressing deep anxiety at the continued closure of the shrine for regular prayers for last five days Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wenesday called for immediate measures to end the deadlock.
In a statement here party president Mehbooba Mufti said for the fifth day running the holiest place of Kashmir had been closed for prayers which is unacceptable to any society much less the devotees and the faithful.
That daily prayers (Nimaz) are being held outside the shrine premises because of the incompetence and mishandling of the government should be a reason for extreme worry for everyone she said.
Mehbooba said at a time when entire Kashmir is bleeding and up in arms the administration was simply unable to do anything good. The most peaceful place of worship which every citizen of the valley holds dearer than life she said has been pushed into a controversy by unimaginative, highhanded and callous handling of a government that seems to have lost even common sense besides being completely cut off from the ground. On any day the controversy on such sensitive and highly revered places should be avoided but the fact that it has been engineered deliberately during Ramzan adds a sinister dimension to it, she said.
The dangerous mix of government’s incompetence with its exclusive dependence on force for all problems has now started affecting the most sensitive aspects of our society which held extremely dark portents for overall situation in Kashmir
she added.
Condemning once again the use of brute force on peaceful worshippers inside the shrine Mehbooba said it had left understandable scars on every one. Instead of someone saying sorry for the unprovoked action and consequent desecration the government has let the issue snowball into a stand off. There was never any reason for entering the shrine and beating up worshippers who obviously were not carrying any weapons or stones she said and pointed out it had become a habit now with the government to suspect even the noblest actions of people and unfortunately even the congregational prayers were sought to be prevented.
Mehbooba said that while she hoped the government wouldmove fast on Hazratbal standoff she was also worried about the general attitude of the government forces towards the people.
She said that the police and the CRPF had been given a licence to beat up peaceful people irrespective of age or gender, barge into homes, destroy household goods and even enter places of worship with impunity.
This lawlessness, she said could have long term impact on our society and could further radicalise the youth with obvious fall out.