J&K Waqf Board's push for uniform Friday sermons sparks political storm

The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has established a core committee of Islamic scholars to implement uniform topics for Friday sermons across affiliated mosques and shrines.

Chairperson Darakshan Andrabi stated the initiative aims to address societal issues like drug abuse and late marriages, departing from the traditional practice of local preachers deciding sermon subjects.

Critics and political observers view the directive as an attempt to de-politicise religious spaces in the Union Territory, which historically served as platforms for political mobilization.