Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Saturday joined the Muharram procession of Shia mourners on Ashura which was taken out through the traditional route in the interior city areas here, officials said.
This is the first time in the last 35 years that a head of the state here has joined the Muharram procession, officials said.
The administration had on Thursday allowed the Eighth day Muharram procession to pass through the traditional route from Gurubazaar to Dalgate — a first in 34 years.
Dressed in a black Kurta, Sinha joined the procession at Bota Kadal in the Zadibal area of Downtown — the interior areas of the city, escorted by a tight security cover, they said.
Senior officials from the police and civil administration accompanied the LG, officials said.
Sinha during his outing interacted with mourners, and also distributed refreshments among them, officials said.
The day marks the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain — the grandson of Prophet Mohammad — and his companions in Karbala in Iraq.
Taking to Twitter, the LG paid his tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain.
“Today on Youm-e-Ashoora joined the Zuljinah procession at Botakadal, Srinagar’s Downtown and paid my tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions. Their sacrifice for righteousness and the greater good of humankind serves as a beacon light for the world,” he said in the tweet.
Sinha urged people to imbibe the eternal ideals of Hazrat Imam Hussain and work unitedly for peace, progress and prosperity of all.
“Remembering the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions in Karbala for upholding the values of truth, justice and equality, which has been guiding the entire humanity to follow the path of righteousness,” he said in another tweet.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said strict security arrangements had been made ahead of the Ashura procession.
“There are much better security arrangements than the other day, and we are providing three-tier security. LG had promised in the meeting (with the stakeholders) that he will visit and he came here and paid his tributes along with senior officials. This is a good signal,” Kumar told reporters.
He said while the forces have helped in changing the security scenario in J-K, it is the people to whom the major credit goes for keeping peace in the region.
“It’s the public that brings the peace. Yes, we do provide security, we have changed the security scenario, but, the role of the public is very important,” the ADGP said.
Meanwhile, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah also visited the Zadibal area to join the Ashura mourners and distributed eatables among them.
The sacrifices rendered by Iman Hussain and his companions have kept Islam and humanity alive, said the Lok Sabha MP.
“Today, the whole world remembers the sacrifices given over 1,400 years ago. This is a lesson for us that the path of Allah is the only right path, that people should make their faith stronger and not fear anyone except Allah. That we should seek from Him to get rid of the cruelty that is taking place across the world,” he said.
Abdullah said there is no Islamic country left in the world which is not beset with problems because “we left the path of Allah and took the path of the devil.”
Unless we tread the path of God again, we cannot prosper, he added.

KR Desk