Click to play videoSrinagar: The Army in Jammu and Kashmir in winning over hearts and is having people believe in them by giving the mosques a new look.
The move by the Army, which they call ‘Operation Sadbhavna’, is not going down too well with the Muslim clerics, and they are very upset over this issue. In fact Muslim religious heads have issued a fatwa and are asking Muslims to stay away from shrines and mosques renovated by the Army.
“Non-Muslims cannot contribute for Muslim worship places whether they are in Army or police or civil,” says Grand Mufti, Kashmir, Mufti Bashir-udin.
Moulvi Showkat Ahmad adds, “We have no reason to doubt anyone's sincerity. If someone is generous, there are other fields where they can contribute but not in religion. This is Muslims own domain.”
Separatist groups in the valley are supporting the clerics, and to lend voice to the protest they have called a bandh on Friday. Both Hurriyat factions led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani have accused the Army of conspiring against Kashmiri Muslims. They say the Army is trying to hoodwink the public, something that the Army denies vehemently.
“If people approach us to carryout a renovation of a sacred place, then we will renovate it as per the request of the people,” says Lt Col A K Mathur.
So far the Army has spent more than Rs 50 lakh on renovating 11 shrines and mosques. But will the goodwill building effort work?
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