Kashmir girl band: Hurriyat distances itself from fatwa

Srinagar: The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference today distanced itself from the ‘decree’ issued by grand mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, that had termed singing as “un-Islamic”, even as it dismissed the reported threats to the Valley’s maiden all-girls rock-band as “mere propaganda”. “We disassociate ourselves from the ‘fatwa’ issued by Mufti Bashiruddin (grand mufti of Jammu and Kashmir). People do not recognise him as grand mufti (chief cleric)… Only the government recognises him,” Hurriyat Conference spokesman Ayaz Akbar told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_613324” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image courtesy: IBN Live.[/caption] Akbar termed the decrees issued by the grand mufti as “mysterious” saying such things give rise “lawlessness in the society”. “It is mysterious…The way he issues fatwas… It arises lawlessness,” Akbar said, adding fatwas can be issued only when a nation is governed under Shariah rule. The Hurriyat spokesman also dismissed as “mere propaganda” the reported threats to the rock-band ‘Pragaash’, saying “a big bomb is being made out of the issue”. “There is no threat to the girls. Nobody has issued any threats. It is a mere propaganda by Indian media and they are making a big bomb out of a normal issue to defame Kashmiris,” he said. Akbar said some youngsters posting abuses on social networking sites cannot be termed as threat, adding Hurriyat does not support such abuse or coercion and force in any way. The teenage girls, who came to limelight in late December last year after their scintillating performance at the annual ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition here received online threats and absurd comments, leaving their parents a worried lot and forcing them to keep a low profile. The girls had defied the convention by stepping into the male-dominated bastion and faced online threats and abuses from conservative sections of the society. Grand mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad yesterday issued a decree terming singing as un-Islamic. “I have said that singing is not in accordance with Islamic teachings,” Ahmad told PTI yesterday. Mufti said he has advised the members of the band to abandon singing as it is against Islamic teachings and will not help them in playing any constructive role in the society. “Society cannot be built or developed by doing un-Islamic acts like singing. I have advised these girls, and other Muslims as well, to stay within the limits of modesty as prescribed for them,” he added. Today the girls decided to call it quits. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was among the large number of people who came out in support of the girls. PTI