SRINAGAR: An organisation of Islamic scholars in Kashmir has taken a strong note of reports that Christian missionaries in the valley were luring Muslim youth into Christianity.
The Mutahida Majlis e Ulama or a joint committee of scholars accused the christian missionaries of offering ‘innocent Kashmiris’ huge sums of money or other luxuries to convert them into their religion.
The statement by the organisation comes a day after local residents in Shivpora area protested against a school run by an NGO, saying its management included two foreigners who were indulging in proselytism.
The police denied such reports and said there were skirmishes in the area but over a minor issue. Locals, however, said the police was playing down the issue.
The scholars’ group, headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the chief cleric of the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, said “Kashmiri people have always maintained the age old tradition of communal harmony”.
“It was highly unfortunate that taking advantage of abnormal situation prevailing in Kashmir, many external powers were hell bent to change the dominant Muslim character of the Jammu and Kashmir,” the Mirwaiz said in a statement.
“Such forces were making concerted efforts to convert the young students and people with less know how about basic Muslim teachings.”
Two years ago a couple of Christian missionaries in Kashmir were ordered to leave the valley after the Grand Mufti, Basheeruddin Ahmed issued a fatwa against them.
The fatwa had come after a video emerged on the internet showing one of the missionaries baptising Kashmiri Muslim youth in a secret ceremony.
The Mirwaiz has warned that any efforts to mislead the young generation or to change the dominant Muslim character of Jammu and Kashmir would be resisted.
He said the scholars’ group will soon convene a meeting of various Islamic organisations to discuss this issue and form a joint strategy to conversion of Muslims.
