Chhattisgarh Waqf Board mandates prior approval for mosque for taqreer, Mirwaiz slams

Srinagar: Separatist leader and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday lashed out at Chhattisgarh Waqf Board directive requiring mosques across the state to seek prior approval for topics of Friday sermons, terming it a “direct attack on the religious rights and freedom of the Muslim community.”

Mirwaiz said this “exposes the real motive behind the Waqf Amendment Bill brought in the Parliament by BJP.”

“The move by a BJP-ruled state asking mutawalis to seek consent from the state-appointed Waqf head before Friday sermons is a direct attack on the religious rights and freedom of the Muslim community, besides being beyond the jurisdiction of any Waqf Board. It exposes the real motive behind the Waqf Amendment Bill brought in the parliament by BJP.

State control of religious rights and affairs is completely unacceptable and will be strongly opposed by Muslims,” Mirwaiz said in a post on X.

He also extended support to Member of parliament and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and others in their efforts on the issue.

“Besides, the cruel and vicious no-holds-barred communal narrative propagated against Muslims in states going to elections through speeches and advertisements further increases the insecurities and alienation of the Muslim-majority people of J&K and the worry for their future,” the Chief Cleric said.