J&K Waqf Board Backtracks On Proposal For Uniform Friday Sermons
· India · Indian Express, The Hindu
The Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board has abandoned a proposal to introduce uniform Friday sermons in mosques across the Valley following widespread public and political backlash. Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi confirmed on Tuesday that no such directives were passed, stating that religious scholars should function independently. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had previously condemned the idea as an unacceptable interference in religious affairs. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema, a coalition of religious organisations, also rejected the proposal, asserting that sermon content falls under the domain of imams and scholars rather than state-linked bodies.
Why it matters
The reversal prevents a potential escalation in tensions between the state government and religious leadership over the autonomy of religious practices in Jammu & Kashmir.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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