Leading Muslim clerics of the country have expressed pain and anguish over the violent protests in the Kashmir Valley during Ramzan and appealed to the protesters to use "democratic" means to convey their views which should not affect education.
Head of Islamic Studies department at Jamia Milia Islamia, Prof Aktharul Wasey said the whole nation is concerned over the happening in Kashmir for the past few days.
"Whatever is happening in Kashmir for the past few days is painful and unfortunate and the whole nation is concerned about it," he said.
"There is a democratic way to convey your ideas and those ways should be used, and we are not against that. But, if it paralyses normal life, if education is affected, tourism and business is affected...the loss...at the end...is of Kashmiri people only," Wasey said.
The cleric said India is a democratic country and every citizen has a right to express.
"Violence is not a solution, violence on either side cannot be justified. If schools remain closed whose children will get affected, whose children would suffer," he said.
President of Bareilly-based Sunni Jamait-ul-awaam, Maulana Tawseef appealed to all Kashmiris that protests are a way to express their views but these strikes should not come in the way of smooth running of educational institutions.
"Prophet Mohammad has said getting education is duty of every one. You (Kashmiris) should adapted such a way for protests that should not affect education of children," he said.
Nayab Imam of Lucknow Eidgah and leading Sunni cleric Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mehali said the very first verse of the Quran speaks about seeking knowledge.
"Several Hadis speak the same. Despite all this if education of children is being affected by the protests, then is unfortunate," he said.
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