Jamaat sect opposes organisation of Urs, Sufis seek CM's help

Two sects of Meo Muslims are up against each other for the celebration of Urs festival on November 30 in Nuh. After holding a mahapanchayat, the majority of Tablighi Jamaat followers announced their decision to not let minority Sufi followers hold the annual Urs celebrations on November 30.

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Claiming that attempts were being made for the past many months to sabotage their freedom to practice their faith, Sufi sect followers have written to CM Nayab Singh Saini, seeking his intervention. The sect has demanded police protection for the smooth organisation of the festival. According to the letter, the celebrations have been planned at Sheikh Moosa Chisti Dargah in Palla village.

“Like every year, we have decided to organise the annual Urs festival at the dargah. However, we are being threatened and are facing resistance from the Jamaat sect. They held a mahapanchayat here and issued a warning to us to abstain from celebrating the festival. This is an attack on our religious freedom and we seek your intervention and protection to hold the festival peacefully,” reads the letter shot by the Urs organisation committee.

Speaking to The Tribune, the official spokesperson of the committee, Mohammad Rafiq, said the dargah was the property of Waqf Board and had been illegally encroached upon. He said while the Sufi monument was revered by the sect, they had been facing constant resistance in approaching it.

“We have invited thousands of people and these threats are worrisome. The Jamaat groups have chased away the workers sent to clean and beautify the dargah. We fear a law and order crisis during the festival, and have thus sought help from the CM,” said Rafiq.

The administration is yet to permit the organisation of the festival. The police say that if permitted, the festival will be given enough security.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat representatives called the festivities a mere eyewash, alleging that it was an attempt to encroach on the dargah and privatise it. The spokesperson of Jamaat mahapanchayat, Zubair, claimed that local residents were against the celebrations and the mahapanchayat was held to discuss the issue but no consensus could be reached.