Srinagar, June 14: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while greeting Kashmiri Pandits on the occasion of Mela Kheer Bhawani, appealed them to return home to their motherland.
Addressing the faithful at Jama Masjid, Mirwaiz said that last Friday he was again detained at home and not allowed to come to the mosque.
“As you are aware of the outrageous incident that occurred in Dal, a group of people drinking publicly in a shikara. It shocked us all, thankfully some action has been taken against it by the authorities. But the onus of preventing such incidents lies equally on us, individually and as a society,” he said.
He said that all types of people are expected to come here as Kashmir is a tourist place. “…It is for us to ensure that the ethos of Kashmir based on the values and principles of Islam stay intact. We have to be aware of it all the time and consciously work towards preserving it, especially those people who are directly or indirectly associated with tourism,” he added.
On Mela Kheer Bhawani, which is being celebrated today, Mirwaiz said that he would like to felicitate “our Kashmiri Pandith community”.
“I would also once again ask them to return to their motherland which awaits them, and live here as they did in the past, in our common and shared heritage. It’s time to reconcile and rebuild the broken bonds. We owe it to our next generation,” he said.
Mirwaiz also announced that if authorities allow Eid-ul-Adha prayers will be offered collectively at the historic Eidgah Srinagar at 9 am otherwise Eid prayers will be offered at the same time in Jama Masjid Srinagar.