For Moharram, 2009 as bad as 1989 in Srinagar
SDPO among 30 injured in Srinagar clash; other processions peaceful

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Dec 26: Even after armed insurgency has shrunk to shreds and an elected government has been in place for the last over 13 years, security situation with regard to Moharram processions in 2009 is officially as unfavourable as it was 20 years ago when the authorities had, for the first time in hundreds of years, banned all Tazia and Zuljanah processions in the capital city of Srinagar. Nearly 30 people, including a Sub Divisional Police Officer, today sustained injuries when groups of people, claiming to be Moharram mourners, clashed with Police in their attempts to take out a procession in Civil Lines area.

Much like every year since 1989, authorities have denied permission to the major Alam and Zujanah processions in the Civil Lines, quoting “hostile security scenario” even as all other Moharram processions in the capital city as well as in the countryside are being organized smoothly in Kashmir valley during this beginning month of the Islamic calendar year. As per a decades old tradition, Hussaini Yadgaar Committee, Guru Bazar, being the sole licensee of the event, used to carry a major procession of the Karbala mourners from Guru Bazar to Dalgate on 8th of Moharram every year till 1989. In 1970s and 1980s, Ittihadul Muslimeen chairman, Maulvi Abbas Ansari, used to be the chief guest at this event.

Anjuman-e-Sharee Shiyaan of Budgam-based spiritual leader of Kashmiri Shia Muslims, Aga Syed Yusuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi, and All J&K Shia Association of cleric-politician, Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, used to be the licensees of two major Ashoora processions of 10th of Moharram. Due to the clash of routes, on way to their respective destinations of Hassanabad and Zadibal, National Conference founder and then Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah resolved the crisis and made the two Shia organizations agree on taking the Ashoora procession on the one marked route from Abi Guzar to Zadibal by way of annual rotation in late 1970s.

Due to tense situation in Valley on account of Pakistani military ruler General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq’s death in an aircrash on August 18 in 1988, authorities banned both the major Moharram processions. Thereafter, presence of armed insurgents has been invariably quoted as the reason for enforcing prohibitory orders as officials have been apprehensive of the incidents of disruptions. According to them, militants and other armed groups can throw a grenade, cause an IED blast or manage a shootout to cause casualties, communalise the situation and put the blame conveniently on the government.

Clergymen and politicians, however, have been dismissing the prohibitory orders as “Government’s aggressive intervention into the religious affairs of the Kashmiri Muslims”. Almost all those, who are simultaneously associated with separatist politics, have been aggressively critical of the government action and creating scenes by way of attempting to take out processions and clashing with Police. It has been a routine feature on and around Lalchowk on 8th and 10th of Moharram every year since 1990.

In keeping with the tradition, separatist-religious groups clashed with Police at four particular spots in Civil Lines on occasion of the 8th Moharram today. Significantly, sole licensee of the event, Yadgaar-e-Hussain Committee Guru Bazar, was as usual absent from the scene.

Groups of dozens and scores, few of them carrying typical Moharram banners, clashed with Police. At two places, groups of people resorted to stone-pelting on Police which does not have sanction of the spiritual leadership. Even one of the prominent clergymen, who also happens to be a senior Hurriyat leader, dismissed the stone pelting as “handiwork of mischief mongers”, albeit maintaining that government was guilty of “intervention into the religious matters of Muslims”.

While as independent reports said that 30 persons, including over a dozen of the processionists, sustained injuries in today’s clashes, an official spokesman confirmed in a statement that in all 16 Policemen, including SDPO Kothibagh, Zulfikar, sustained injuries. SDPO was rushed to hospital for treatment. Eyewitnesses said that Police used batons and tearsmoke canisters to disperse the gathering.

Elsewhere in the capital city, over a dozen smaller and medium size Alam and Tazia processions were organized as per tradition in the Shia-dominated localities of Zadibal, Hassanabad, Dal Lake Mir Bahri, Madeen Sahib, Lalbazar and Shalimar. Reports said that over a hundred of similar processions came out on occasion of the 8th of Moharram in the rural districts of Budgam, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, Bandipore, Baramulla and Ganderbal where members of Shia community live in sizeable numbers.

There was no report of any untoward incident as authorities had not, as usual, extended ban on such processions to any areas beyond Srinagar Civil Lines.

Notwithstanding the ban on the major Ashoora procession in Srinagar on December 28th, hundreds of thousands of Shia devotees and mourners of the martyrs of Karbala are expected to participate in over 50 Zuljanah processions in Kashmir valley on Monday next.

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