Shrines, mosques not safe for people: Jammu Auqaf

Srinagar, February 19, 2019 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the fear among Muslims in Jammu can be gauged from the fact that the Jammu Muslim Waqf Council has closed its doors for the Kashmiris who are facing attacks in the city. The Muslim Waqf Council, which comes under the Ministry of Hajj and Auqaf, is denying help to Kashmiris who are being targeted in Jammu.

Majid Jehangir, Chief Executive Officer State Waqf Council and Special Officer at Jammu Auqaf, said, “We have shrines and mosques, but they are not safe for people, we have to look for a safer place for these people. The mobs have torched the vehicles; we have to keep that in mind also. As of now only Bathindi is safe and Kashmiris have been accommodated in a mosque there.”

“There are thousands of Kashmiri government employees and their families staying in Jammu as part of the annual Durbar move. There are Kashmiri students and traders as well, but the Waqf Council has shut all its accommodations for the Kashmiris who are taking refuge in Muslim-dominated Bathindi,” said a Kashmiri who was attacked by a mob at Janipur.

“We are not in a position to knock someone’s door and ask for shelter, the Waqf should have made some arrangements. As of now Kashmiris are taking refuge in Makkah Masjid Bathindi. It is a big mosque, but it will also become saturated because all the Kashmiris are arriving here.”

A former puppet minister for Hajj and Auqaf, on terms of anonymity, said, “Ideally Waqf should provide shelter to Kashmiris because it has the resources. The Waqf council is under the government. With no government in place it’s sort of headless. But the district administration can take a call and help the Kashmiris.”

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