Indian authorities allow Muharram procession in Kashmir under tight curbs

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

The 10th Muharram procession in Indian-administered Kashmir was allowed on Sunday under strict restrictions, with no hoisting of flags or the use of logos of banned national and international organizations.

During the Islamic month of Muharram, Shia Muslims all over the world mourn the deaths of close relatives of Islam's Prophet Muhammad during the Battle of Karbala.

The regional administration's order specifically prohibited the use of any flags with provocative slogans, images of terrorists, or symbols of banned organizations, whether "domestic or international."

It said that mourners follow a specific route and adhere to a set of guidelines.

The order expressly prohibits any form of anti-national, anti-administration, or sectarian slogans or speech.

"Any activity that disturbs communal, religious, or ethnic harmony will not be tolerated," according to the order.

Two major Muharram processions along traditional routes in Srinagar have been banned since the anti-India insurgency began in 1989. However, since 2023, the administration has permitted processions on designated routes.

Meanwhile, regional police filed a case on Saturday against some Shia mourners who displayed banners bearing images of Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah.

Following the Iran-US war, posters and banners featuring Iranian and Hezbollah commanders, as well as pro-Palestine slogans, have appeared in Kashmir, where Shia Muslims frequently express solidarity with the Palestinian and Iranian people during Muharram processions.

However, the police said these actions were intended to cause unrest, disturb public order, and disrupt communal harmony, posing a serious threat to the nation's security and integrity.

Aga Syed Ruhullah, a Kashmiri lawmaker and member of parliament, or Lok Sabha, in New Delhi, has defended those who wave pro-Palestine banners, stating: "It goes as per the Constitution and the country's official stand."

On his social media account, he asked regional police: "Are you serving us Kashmiris or enforcing the will of a Zionist regime? If you’re serving us, then explain: Under what law are you filing FIRs against peaceful expression of support to Gaza? We await your answer.”