SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board’s move to introduce common themes for Friday sermons across mosques and shrines has triggered a sharp reaction from political and religious circles.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have opposed the proposal, arguing that religious sermons should not be controlled by a government-appointed body. The issue has also drawn criticism from religious groups, who see the move as interference in matters traditionally handled by clerics.
Waqf Board chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi, however, said the proposal was suggested by imams and muftis and was not intended to dictate religious practice.
The controversy has put the Board under growing pressure to clarify the scope and purpose of the proposed arrangement.