In a video surfacing online on the social media, a journalist can be seen talking to a man named Mushtaq Lone in Dardpora, Jammu & Kashmir. He claimed to be a supporter of Sheikh Abdul Rashid popularly known as Engineer Rashid who was arrested on terror-funding charges and later secured interim bail.
In the video he can be seen saying, ‘We are Muslims, we read namaz and opening the temple is not right. Humein Puja Path se problem hota hai. (We have issues with Hindu rituals and worship)’. When the journalist said that she didn’t have a problem with loudspeakers in the mosque, he responded that he is a Muslim and he has a problem with temples.
He further said, ‘Any Hindu who comes here for work and then get invloves in alcohol consumption will be assaulted by us. Alcohol is against our religion’. He further threatened, ‘We won’t allow temple on our land and will have no choice but to burn the place because it’s not right. We are Muslims. Is it appropriate to have a temple in our neighbourhood?”
The man said that this is his personal opinion and claimed that Hindus could buy land in the region and build temples. He further said that they wouldn’t sell land to the community. He emphasised, ‘This is not Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s land and people would not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party as it had opened a wine shop in the area, built a temple there and provided rice at higher rates. He repeatedly mentioned his aversion to temples, Hindu bhajans, rituals and stressed that he was against all things pertaining to the Hindu religion because he was a Muslim who prayed five times (namaz) a day’.
Notably, the assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted on 18th September, 25th September and 1st October while the results will be announced on 8th October.
Comments