# Mirwaiz says restrictions on Jama Masjid pulpit part of state policy 2026-08-21T12:08:52+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq on Friday said restrictions on his religious activities and attempts to prevent him from addressing congregations at historic religious sites appear to be part of state policy. He made the remarks while addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, after a gap of nearly two weeks during which he was barred from delivering the Friday sermon there and also denied an opportunity to address the gathering at Naqshband Sahib. Mirwaiz said being able to address the people was a blessing and called for patience. He added that restrictions and attempts to silence the pulpit unfortunately seemed to be part of the state policy right now. He emphasised the historical role of the Jama Masjid pulpit, saying it had traditionally been used for religious and moral education and for raising awareness about people's rights and duties. He told those imposing restrictions that they may not be aware of the history and significance of the pulpit, which had served as a voice for people's concerns and aspirations while promoting peaceful coexistence and minority rights. He said the approach had always been guided by Islamic teachings and focused on peaceful, principled engagement. He concluded that the tradition would continue whenever he was given the opportunity. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the hereditary chief cleric of Kashmir, has faced sporadic restrictions on addressing Friday congregations since 1990, often citing security concerns. The Jama Masjid pulpit has historically been a platform for articulating Kashmiri political aspirations, especially during the 2016 unrest and after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. With Assembly elections expected later this year, any curbs on his religious activities could become a political flashpoint, testing the administration's claims of normalcy. The coming weeks, particularly the next Friday congregation, will indicate whether the restrictions are temporary or sustained. Words: 96 ## Coverage - greaterkashmir.com Straight news agency-style reporting of Mirwaiz's statement with no editorialising or factual contestation. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Jama Masjid Srinagar, Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Naqshband Sahib Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/mirwaiz-says-restrictions-on-jama-masjid-pulpit-part-of-state-policy/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/mirwaiz-says-restrictions-on-jama-masjid-pulpit-part-of-state-policy/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/