Srinagar, Jan 13: National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi slammed ongoing police profiling of mosques, madrassas, and Imams in Jammu and Kashmir as a direct assault on constitutional religious freedoms.
Mehdi highlighted existing multi-layered surveillance by CID, IB, and paramilitary forces, calling the new profiling exercise unnecessary intimidation targeting religious preachers of a specific faith. Authorities initiated the process after busting a ‘white collar’ terror module, issuing proformas to village numberdars for collecting details on institutions, Imams, teachers, and management committees.
The Srinagar MP accused BJP and RSS of orchestrating the move to control mosques, suggesting Imams might soon face mandates to deliver pre-approved sermons. Mehdi questioned the need for fresh data already available through Aadhaar and other records.
On Iran’s internal unrest, Mehdi urged external powers—whom he called democracy champions—to avoid interference, criticizing attempts to replace the elected regime with a former dictator.
