In a major outreach to the Shia community in Kashmir, J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday participated in the Zuljanah procession, an event of mourning for the community during the Islamic month of Muharram, in Srinagar.
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Wearing a black dress, Mr. Sinha visited the most volatile part of the city in Srinagar’s Bota Kadal area, and offered ‘chaddar’ to ‘Zuljanah’, a procession carried out to recall the martyrdom of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussain, during the Battle of Karbala. Mr. Sinha was also seen distributing refreshments to the gathering.
The L-G’s visit came after the recent controversy where a Shia cleric, Imran Reza Ansari, walked out of a meeting chaired by the former. Mr. Ansari had accused the L-G’s administration of being insensitive towards the Shias of Kashmir.
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Earlier this week, the L-G administration also allowed a Muharram procession on the traditional Gurubazar-Dalgate route after a gap of 33 years.
The Shias have appreciated the L-G’s gesture and praised the arrangements made by the administration for the Muharram procession, which is likely to culminate at the Zadibal Imambara in Srinagar.
Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) Vijay Kumar said police officers had been deployed from midnight in the city. “Allowing the historic procession after a long gap reflects a changing Kashmir,” Mr. Kumar said. He praised the cooperation extended by locals.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah welcomed the L-G administration’s move to allow Muharram processions in Kashmir. However, he questioned the timing of the move. “It shouldn’t be used to weaken the pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370 and 35(A) in the Supreme Court. It should not be used to project that everything is normal in Kashmir,” Dr. Abdullah said.