Skiing at Gulmarg, Namaaz at Hazratbal

Early Times Report

SRINAGAR, Feb 16: Skiing at Gulmarg and Namaaz at Hazratbal. That definitely is not Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s latest post on Twitter. That is exactly what the head of the government did on a holiday, on occasion of Eid-e-Meelaad-un-Nabi (Prophet Mohammad’s birth anniversary).

Two days after the season’s third successive snowfall in Kashmir, Omar landed at the famous winter sports hub of Gulmarg and enjoyed some twists and turns on the slippery slopes. He also interacted with the young skiing enthusiasts and their trainers engaged in different advanced and basic courses of the game. His confidante and Minister of State for Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani, was seen rubbing the shoulders with Chief Minister.

Keeping his challenging schedule of participating in the mass prayers at Hazratbal, Omar in the evening appeared at the religious congregation and performed his Magrib prayers. Minister incharge Hajj and Auqaf, Aijaz Khan, Divisional Commissioner, Asgar Samoon, and Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, Meraj Ahmed Kakroo, besides Nasir Aslam Wani, also joined the ranks.

It was after a year-long absence that Chief Minister, who also happens to be the head of Muslim Auqaf, participated in the congregational prayers at Hazratbal. None of the prominent mainstream politicians, particularly those from National Conference, had mustered courage to participate in such an assembly on major auspicious days of the Islamic calendar since last year. However, MLA Hazratbal, Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal, and Minister of Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, had visited the shrine amid tight security and strategic timing twice.

Omar had been spotted on almost all such occasions at Hazratbal in the year 2009. However, year 2010 remained turbulent and none of the pro-India politicians was in a position to even venture out of home for four months of the summer. Over a hundred civilians got killed and thousands others, including 4000 Police and CRPF personnel, sustained injuries in the peoples’ clashes with armed forces and arson of public properties in the Valley.

Meanwhile, Eid-e-Meelad-un-Nabi was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety all over the Valley today. Thousands of devotees attended congregational prayers at different mosques, monasteries and shrines on five intervals of the day today after performing Shabkhwani for the whole night.

Devotees also took out religious processions while paying tributes to Prophet Mohammad and stressing on strict adherence to his teachings and philosophy of life. Reports said that the largest procession, in which over 12,000 Muslims participated, came out from the revered shrine of Hazrat Janbaz Wali at Baramulla and concluded in the afternoon at Ziarat Nabi Kareem. Reports said that all the rallies went on and concluded smoothly as the participants chanted only the religious slogans.

 Officials said that some separatist political activists attempted to take out a procession of nearly 50 people from Abi Guzar locality near Lalchowk. According to them, participants began shouting political slogans like ‘We Want Freedom’. Police intercepted the rally and forced the participants disperse with the use of mild force.

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