The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) J&K and the Muslim Personal Law Board J&K — both of which are umbrella bodies representing a number of religious institutions — have accused the J&K Waqf Board of “coercion” to take over independent religious institutions, including shrines and mosques, in Kashmir.
Grand Mufti Nasirul Islam chaired a meeting of members of the MMU and the Muslim Personal Law Board on Thursday, where the J&K Waqf Board was urged “to desist from pursuing this agenda”.
“There is a deliberate attempt by the Board to centralise all religious institutions, learning centres, masjids and shrines of J&K under its aegis. The MMU has received complaints from local masjid committees, shrines and religious learning centres that the Waqf Board was coercing them to take over these independent institutions, which for decades have been rendering services to the community,” a joint statement of these religious groups said.
