The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), the largest collective of Islamic religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir, has expressed serious concern over an ongoing police exercise in the Valley that seeks detailed and intrusive information about mosques and religious figures. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
In a statement, the MMU said it has learnt that police are distributing lengthy, multi-page forms demanding highly sensitive personal data. This includes information about mosques, their management committees, imams, khatibs, and even individuals associated with places of worship, along with details of their family members.
According to the MMU, the information being sought goes far beyond normal administrative needs. The forms reportedly ask for personal identity details, family records, financial information, phone numbers, social media profiles, passport details, travel history, and even mobile phone IMEI numbers. The police are also seeking details about the ideological or sectarian affiliation of mosques, such as Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi, or Ahle-Hadith.
The MMU said this unprecedented data collection has created widespread fear and anxiety among religious institutions, imams, khatibs, and the general public.
The organisation stated that the exercise is a clear violation of fundamental rights, including the right to privacy guaranteed under the Constitution. It stressed that mosques are sacred spaces meant for worship, guidance, and community service, and their internal religious affairs should not be subjected to arbitrary surveillance.
“The depth and nature of the information being demanded raises serious questions about intent,” the MMU said, adding that it appears to be an attempt to control and regulate religious institutions through coercive checks. The fact that this exercise targets only the Muslim community in Jammu and Kashmir, it said, makes the motives even more questionable.
The MMU urged the elected government to immediately intervene and stop the exercise, warning that it undermines trust, spreads fear among religious leaders, and sends a disturbing message to the Muslim community. It described such measures as unjustified, counter-productive, and harmful to social harmony.
Calling on the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, the MMU demanded that the exercise be withdrawn without delay and that the autonomy of religious institutions be respected. It also urged authorities to uphold constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, privacy, and human dignity.
The MMU said it will soon convene a meeting of its constituent members and senior religious leaders to discuss the issue and decide on future steps if the exercise continues.
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