Srinagar, Jun 24: Shia cleric Masroor Abbas Ansari on Wednesday described the 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar as a “message of humanity” and thanked the administration for allowing it after 35 years, while expressing hope for permission for the Ashura rally.
“The 8th Muharram procession, which begins from Abhigudar and ends at Dal Gate, is the biggest congregation in the city and holds historical significance,” Ansari told KNS.
The cleric said the rally had been banned for over three decades. “The LG administration gave us the freedom to hold this mass. We are grateful to them,” he said.
Ansari said the procession carries a message of “unity, peace, security, and humanity.” He added, “The purpose for which Imam Hussain went to Karbala was the success of humanity and society—to fight oppression and protect rights.
Asserting that Imam Hussain’s appeal is universal, Ansari said, “Imam Hussain is not just a martyr for Shias or Muslims, but a martyr for all humanity. His message is for everyone.”
On the 10th Muharram procession, Ansari urged the administration to take a “bold step.” “For 35 years, governments could not do this due to bureaucratic pressure. This administration has the courage and strength,” he said.
He called for allowing the Ashura procession through its traditional route to culminate at Zadibal stating it would enable the exercise of “constitutional religious freedom in a peaceful and disciplined manner.” (KNS)
