J
Srinagar, May 31 (UNI) Ulemas of Jammu and Kashmir today urged President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop the Army from ''interfering'' in the religious affairs of the Muslims in the state under the ''garb'' of Operation Sadbhavana.
The appeal was made during an emergency meeting of the members of Jammu and Kashmir Muthaida Majlis Ulema called by moderate Hurriyat Conference Chairman and chief priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq here.
The meeting was summoned to chalk out the future course of action in the wake of the Army's plan to reconstruct and renovate mosques and shrines in Jammu and Kashmir under its Operation Sadbhavana.
The plan triggered a new religious controversy in the state after which the official Grand Mufti issued a 'fatwa (decree)', calling upon the Muslims to resist the move ''tooth and nail''.
''We cannot tolerate inference in our religious affairs,'' the Ulemas said in a resolution passed at the end of the meeting.
The meeting, held at the Mirwaiz Manzil at Rajouri Kadal in downtown city, was attended by ulemas, Imams (priests), religious leaders and Islamic scholars of Jammu and Kashmir.
They urged the President, who is also the commander-in-chief of armed forces, to immediately stop the Army from carrying out its 'Operation Sadbhavana (Goodwill)' in Jammu and Kashmir.
MORE
UNI