The Hindu : National : Geelani not to offer prayers at Eidgah

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Saturday, Oct 13, 2007
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Geelani not to offer prayers at Eidgah

Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR: Charging each other with playing politics over special prayers on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, leaders of the moderate and hardline factions of the Hurriyat Conference have drawn battle lines over the issue. While Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has decided to organise prayers at the Eidgah here, Syed Ali Shah Geelani has withdrawn, accusing the former of playing in to the hands of New Delhi.

The Eidgah now comes under the State run Waqf Board.

The controversy over organising special prayers began two weeks ago when Mr. Geelani, who heads the hardline faction, announced that after a gap of 20 years this year’s Eid prayers would be offered traditionally at the Eidgah. He even visited it and led a cleaning drive. He asked people to throng it in large numbers.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also announced a programme of offering Eid prayers, saying it would be symbol of unity among the resistance forces.

However, Mr. Geelani withdrew his decision, “fearing trouble” between the two factions. He said at a press conference that the Mirwaiz was being used by New Delhi to sabotage the “freedom movement.”

The Mirwaiz, reacting to Mr. Geelani’s charges, said during the Friday sermon to a huge gathering at the Jamia Masjid: “Mr. Geelani has tried to shake the fundamentals of the unity of Muslims.”

“His statement is cheap politics and speaks lot about his frustration,” he said.

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