Kashmir Amalgam Sounds Alarm Over ‘Intrusive’ Police Data Drive
What are you doing? Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), the apex coalition of Muslim clerics and religious organizations in Kashmir headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has expressed strong concern over what it describes as an unprecedented and highly intrusive data collection exercise carried out by the police across the Valley.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, MMU said it had received credible reports of police personnel distributing comprehensive multi-page forms to mosques, madrassas and other Muslim places of worship. It is stated that these forms seek extremely personal and sensitive information from imams, preachers, mosque administrators and people affiliated with religious institutions.
According to MMU, the forms request details such as personal identity and family information, financial records, phone numbers and IMEI data, digital and social media profiles, passport information and travel history, as well as the ideological affiliation of each mosque (Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi or Ahl-Hadith). It was stated that such a scale and nature of the information sought triggered widespread concern among religious scholars, mosque committees and the general public.
MMU argued that the practice “violates fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, including the right to privacy and protection of personal information.” It was emphasized that mosques are sacred places dedicated to worship, guidance and social service and that “internal religious affairs cannot be subjected to arbitrary surveillance or intrusive scrutiny.”
The statement also claimed that the depth of data collected “went far beyond any routine administrative requirements”, raising serious concerns about the intent behind the practice. MMU said the exclusive focus on Muslim religious institutions in Jammu and Kashmir “makes the motives even more suspicious”.
Calling for immediate intervention, MMU called on the elected government to stop the process without delay. It warned that such measures undermine trust, instill fear among religious officials and send a disturbing message to the Muslim community. “Targeting mosques and religious personnel in this way is unfair, counterproductive and harms social harmony,” the statement said.
MMU called on the Lieutenant Governor-led administration to withdraw its data collection effort, respect the autonomy of religious institutions, and uphold constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, privacy, and human dignity. He added that he would soon hold a meeting with his constituent bodies and senior religious leaders to discuss the issue and determine the future course of action if the exercise continues.
