In a strongly worded appeal, PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked the administration to stop what she called a “witch hunt” against people who attended the funeral of senior Islamic scholar and former Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Shaikh Ghulam Hassan. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Speaking to reporters in Kulgam on Tuesday, Mufti said people at the funeral spoke out of genuine emotion and grief. “Shaikh Ghulam Hassan was not only the head of Jamaat but also a learned Islamic scholar. We might not like what they said, but it was not anti-national,” she remarked.
Shaikh Ghulam Hassan, a respected religious figure from Tarigam village in Kulgam, passed away recently after a prolonged illness. His funeral drew large numbers of mourners, many of whom paid emotional tributes to the deceased scholar who had served twice as Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba Mufti, who also visited the bereaved family to offer condolences, emphasised that expressions of sorrow at funerals should not be turned into a matter of suspicion or harassment.
Her statement comes amid reports that authorities may have initiated action against certain individuals over slogans or speeches made during the funeral prayers.
In Kashmir, where personal, religious and political sentiments often overlap, deaths of prominent figures frequently see outpourings of emotion. Mufti’s appeal reflects a broader concern that grief should not be criminalised, especially when it involves paying last respects to a scholar.
The incident has once again highlighted the delicate balance between maintaining law and order and respecting deeply felt religious and cultural sentiments in the region. As of now, there has been no official confirmation from the administration on any specific actions taken against mourners.
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