Srinagar : Former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said he too wanted to allow the Muharram procession during his tenure, but “some of us” opposed it.
“We also wanted Muharram processions to take place during our tenure, but there were some people within us who opposed that,” Dr Farooq) said in reply to a question about the Lieutenant Governor-led administration allowing the procession after more than three decades. I don’t want to name them as they are no more in this world, he added.
The Member Parliament from Srinagar was at Zadibal where he participated in the procession on the occasion of Ashura – the 10th Muharram-ul-Haram. The NC president said he himself has been part of Muharram processions. “Everyone – Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs – have always welcomed it,” he said. He further said “Thanks to Allah, this has started, but the Zuljanah has not been taken from Abi Guzar, and by the will of Allah when there will be (our) government, Zuljanah will be taken from there.”
