A contentious proposal by the Waqf Board in Indian-administered Kashmir to introduce standardized Friday sermons across regional mosques has drawn sharp backlash from politicians and religious leaders. Critics accuse the Indian regime of attempting to assert direct administrative control over Muslim religious spaces and undermine local autonomy.

The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board is headed by Darakshan Andrabi, a local figure affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The region’s special semi-autonomous status was unilaterally stripped by the regime in 2019, leading to direct federal oversight. The latest directive prompted prominent Islamic scholars to condemn the move as an unwarranted and intrusive interference in religious affairs.

Following widespread public outcry and resistance from clerics, Andrabi reportedly walked back her initial stance, claiming that addressing social issues would remain at the discretion of independent preachers. However, regional analysts and historians argue that the episode reflects a broader, systematic effort by the ruling apparatus to manipulate traditional religious arrangements and preempt potential dissent.

Source: www.aljazeera.com