Mehbooba Mufti slams mosque profiling in Kashmir: 'Start with temples...'

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti

• Mehbooba Mufti and Congress leader criticise profiling of mosques in Kashmir
• Leaders called the profiling an intrusion into Muslims' religious affairs
• Authorities seek details of mosques, imams, and committee members in J&K

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PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Congress leader Shahnawaz Choudhary on Wednesday criticised the profiling of mosques and imams in Kashmir, calling it an intrusion into the religious affairs of Muslims.

Mehbooba, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, said that if religious sites were to be profiled, the exercise should begin with temples across the country.

"The latest order for mosques is interference in our religious affairs. If they have to do it, then they should start with other religions. Let them seek the details about priests in temples, and in which temple can shudras go and in which can Brahmins go," Mufti was quoted by PTI.

The PDP president stated that authorities should also seek information about the money that is paid for entering temples.

"The police already have the record of the number of mosques in J-K and how much land they have. But now, seeking details of maulvis, imams, their photos, Aadhar cards and doing this much profiling are an attempt to intimidate and keep Muslims away from their religion in J-K," she said.

Mehbooba said imams and the management committees of mosques are terrified by the profiling exercise.

"This five-page proforma has been made in such a way that it seems they are not imams or maulvis or teachers or members of masjid committees, but they are OGWs (over ground workers). The way OGWs are harassed and asked to give all their details in a police station, in the same way, details are being sought from mosques as if these are crime scenes," she said.

She dared the government to subject gurdwaras and churches to the same profiling, warning that mosques nationwide could be next.

Congress's Shahnawaz Choudhary, meanwhile, said the "excessive and punitive" measure undermine the country's secular foundations, as per PTI.

"The collective suspecting of an entire religion or community is not only unconstitutional but also extremely dangerous for the country's social fabric," Choudhary, secretary, All India Congress Committee (AICC), and district president of Pradesh Congress Committee for Poonch, said.

Authorities have started a process of profiling mosques, madrassas and persons associated with the management of religious institutions in the Union Territory (UT), following the busting of the 'white collar' terror module last year.

A proforma has been given to village numberdars (village-level revenue staff) for getting details of mosques, madrassas, imams, teachers and management committee members of these institutions.