Congregational Eid prayers were barred at the historic Eidgah grounds in Srinagar on Saturday (June 7), as authorities in Jammu and Kashmir imposed restrictions without issuing any formal written order.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief cleric of Kashmir and chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, was also reportedly placed under house arrest ahead of the prayers.

In a post on social media platform X, Mirwaiz said that the Jamia Masjid, Kashmir’s largest mosque located in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area, had been locked down by authorities, preventing Eid-ul-Adha prayers from being held there.

This marks the seventh consecutive year that the mosque has remained shut on Eid, following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its special status and reorganised into two Union territories by the BJP-led central government.

“In a Muslim-majority region, Muslims are deprived of their fundamental right to pray — even on their most important religious occasion celebrated across the world! What a shame on those who rule over us, and on those elected by the people who choose to remain silent as our rights are trampled over, again and again,” Mirwaiz wrote.

The Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, the managing body of the Jamia Masjid, issued a statement on Friday expressing “deep regret” over the denial of permission to hold Eid prayers at the traditional Eidgah grounds.

The body said the event was planned “in keeping with longstanding Islamic tradition and the collective religious sentiment of the people.”

Due to the ban, the statement had announced that the Eid prayers would instead take place at the Jamia Masjid, where Mirwaiz was scheduled to deliver a sermon on the message of unity, sacrifice, and submission to Allah that Eid-ul-Adha represents.

“Auqaf urges all worshippers to attend the Eid prayers at Jama Masjid in large numbers and partake in the message of unity, sacrifice, and submission to the will of Allah (SWT) that Eid-ul-Adha embodies,” the statement said.

However, on Saturday morning, security forces sealed off the mosque and prevented worshippers from entering, turning many away from its gates.

This is not the first time authorities have imposed such restrictions. Since 2019, congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid have been routinely disallowed on key Islamic occasions, including Eid-ul-Fitr, Shab-e-Qadr, Jummat-ul-Vida, and Fridays, drawing criticism from religious and political groups alike.

Officials have not provided a formal reason for Saturday’s restrictions, but security sources have unofficially cited concerns about potential law and order issues in the volatile downtown area of Srinagar, which has historically been a hub of pro-freedom demonstrations.

Despite the restrictions in downtown Srinagar, Eid prayers proceeded without disruption in other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, including major shrines and mosques such as Hazratbal in Srinagar, Khanqah-e-Moula, and Charar-e-Sharif in Budgam, where thousands of worshippers gathered peacefully.

The latest move comes amid growing discontent over the BJP-led government's control over religious institutions in the region. Since 2019, the J&K Waqf Board, now under central oversight, has taken over the administration of most mosques and shrines—a decision that has been vocally opposed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and several regional parties.