Srinagar: A comprehensive data collection exercise initiated by the Jammu and Kashmir Police regarding mosques and their staff has triggered widespread anxiety and political condemnation in the Valley. Locals and political leaders have termed the move a blatant invasion of privacy and an attempt at profiling religious institutions, alleging that the depth of the information sought amounts to state surveillance.
According to reports, the police have begun distributing a four-page questionnaire to mosque committees across the region. While officials describe the move as a routine exercise to gather data, the proforma seeks to consolidate information on two fronts: the physical infrastructure of the mosque and the personal lives of those managing it. For the institutions, the police are recording the specific religious sect—such as Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi, or Ahle-Hadith—along with construction costs, sources of funding, land ownership status, and bank account details.
However, it is the collection of personal data on Imams, Muezzins, and Khateebs that has drawn the most criticism. For the first time, religious staffers are being asked to provide their digital footprints, including mobile phone models, IMEI numbers, email addresses, and active WhatsApp numbers. The police are also demanding financial data such as credit card and ATM details, alongside personal information regarding family members, specifically asking for the names of relatives living abroad. Passport details, including a history of countries visited, and disclosures regarding their social media usage are also mandatory parts of the form.
Mosque committee members have expressed fear that the community is being deliberately targeted. Speaking to the Indian Express, one member noted that while background checks are understandable, probing monthly expenditures and religious beliefs goes too far. This sentiment was echoed by former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who lashed out at the administration on Wednesday. She likened the treatment of religious scholars to that of terror suspects, stating that the proforma is designed as if they are Over Ground Workers rather than religious teachers. She argued that details are being sought from mosques as if they are crime scenes and challenged the administration to conduct similar profiling of temples if the intent was truly administrative.
The exercise has united various political factions in condemnation. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the Muttahida Majlis Ulama, stated that the survey violates fundamental rights, arguing that mosques are sacred institutions whose internal affairs cannot be subjected to arbitrary surveillance. Similarly, National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi termed it a project run by right-wing ideology, expressing fears that the state aims to control Friday sermons to align with the narratives of the BJP and RSS. Congress leader Shahnawaz Choudhary also warned that collectively suspecting an entire community undermines the country's secular foundations.