SRINAGAR: In the ongoing crackdown against religious leaders and preachers, the authorities have detained another prominent religious leader Sarjan Barkati from south Kashmir.
He is the third prominent religious leader to be arrested in the last few days and the arrests have drawn strong condemnation from Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of religious, social and educational organisations of Kashmir .
Barkati was arrested by police from his residence in the Reban area of Shopian in south Kashmir on Saturday.
He was arrested in October 2016 under PSA for organising anti-government rallies after the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani.
Barkati was released on October 28, 2020 after spending nearly four years in jail. He was again arrested in 2021 for praying in favour of Palestinians during Eid congregational prayers in a mosque in south Kashmir.
Sources said he is likely to be booked under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).
Earlier, police on Thursday arrested two prominent religious leaders and clerics Mushtaq Ahmad Veeri and Abdul Rashid Dawoodi from south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Veeri was also arrested after Article 370 revocation.
Police had also detained five activists of banned Jamaat-e-Islami from south Kashmir and all the seven detained persons including two leaders have been booked under PSA.
Meanwhile, Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of religious social and educational organisations of Kashmir strongly condemned the arrests of religious scholars.
The MMU not only are these actions by authorities unjustified but it is causing severe anger among the people as well.
“The main work of scholars and preachers is to propagate the religion of Islam, spread the message of humanity and love, and make positive efforts for the supremacy of truth & righteousness and the reformation of society,” the MMU said and demanded release of all arrested clerics and preachers, youth and others.
The former J&K Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also slammed the arrests saying, “If normalcy as claimed by GOI has indeed returned to J&K with zero incidents of stone pelting & other activities considered anti-national, why are they booking religious scholars under draconian laws like PSA?”.
She said she out rightly condemns such actions that reflect BJP’s communal mindset.