National Conference MP from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has strongly criticised the alleged surveillance of mosques and religious preachers in Kashmir, calling it unconstitutional and harmful to religious freedom.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Ruhullah said that police and intelligence agencies monitoring mosques was not a routine law-and-order step. Instead, he described it as part of a wider ideological effort aimed at controlling religious practices.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“This is not an administrative issue. It is a project of a particular right-wing ideology that wants religions to follow the RSS worldview,” he said.
Ruhullah stressed that the Indian Constitution gives every citizen the right to freely practise and preach their religion. Any form of surveillance, pressure, or control over religious spaces, he said, directly violates these rights.
He also questioned why extra monitoring was needed when the government already holds extensive personal data through systems like Aadhaar. “When people of one religion are singled out for extra scrutiny, it looks like intimidation,” he added.
Warning about the future impact, Ruhullah said such actions could lead to direct interference in religious matters. “One day, preachers could be told what they can or cannot say in sermons. That would mean religion itself is being controlled,” he said.
The MP pointed out that agencies such as the police, CID, intelligence units, and paramilitary forces already have standard surveillance systems. Targeting mosques separately, he warned, sends a dangerous signal to society.
During his remarks, Ruhullah also criticised what he called double standards by Western countries on democracy and human rights, especially in cases like Iran and Gaza. He said interference in the internal affairs of sovereign nations was unjustified.
Raising a local civic issue, he spoke about the long-standing garbage dumping problem on the outskirts of Srinagar. He said dumping waste near residential areas and water bodies violates environmental laws and basic human dignity.
“The dump has turned into a mountain over the years. It is against human rights and the law,” Ruhullah said. He added that he would question the government and administration about waste management plans, relocation of the site, and restoration of the affected water body.
Ruhullah said he is ready to work with officials and residents to find a solution. “If needed, I am willing to sit with them to protect people’s rights,” he said.
There was no immediate response from the administration regarding his allegations.
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