Highlights
- The Srinagar police said the Jamia Masjid was shut only on 3 occasions post-covid
- It was temporarily shut for Friday noon prayers owing to inputs of terror attack, they said
- This was after Jamia authorities failed to take responsibility for happenings inside, police said
The Jamia Masjid is 'fully opened', Srinagar Police on Tuesday, as it countered All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi for his "shut" Jamia Masjid remarks.
"Jamia is fully opened. Only on 3 occasions post-covid, it was temporarily shut for Friday noon prayers owing to inputs of terror attack and law and order situation. This was after Jamia authorities failed to take responsibility for happenings inside. Staying far is no excuse for ignorance," Srinagar Police tweeted on Tuesday.
This came after AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted and asked the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, when cinema halls have been opened in Shopian and Pulwama, why the Srinagar Jamia Masjid is shut every Friday.
"Sir Manoj Sinha, you have opened cinema halls in Shopian and Pulwama, but why is Srinagar Jamia Masjid shut every Friday, at least don't shut it during the afternoon matinee show," Owaisi had tweeted.
Cinema hall inaugurated in Srinagar
Earlier on Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the cinema hall in Srinagar, after halls remained shut down for three decades due to violence.
The cinema hall with all the modern facilities has been built by INOX and owned by Vijay Dhar. It has a seating capacity of 520 persons in its three big auditoriums. The multiplex will also have a restaurant and gaming zone for kids in the coming months as these two facilities are being built.
Srinagar city had 12 famous cinemas but they were shut down in the 90s when militancy broke out in the Valley which tore its social and peaceful atmosphere.
The cinemas were banned by a militant group called 'Allah Tigers'.
The INOX cinema will screen movies for Kashmiris from October 1 and tickets will be available from September 26.
LG Manoj Sinha said that such changes have become possible in Kashmir due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took a historic step on August 5, 2019, to reshape Jammu and Kashmir and end its gloomy past.
Sinha said that all districts of Jammu and Kashmir will have 100-seater cinema halls where youth can entertain themselves.
Sinha last week inaugurated two cinema halls in once militancy-hotspots of Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir.
(With inputs from ANI)
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