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Omar Abdullah defends Kishtwar DC's Ramadan donation order, urges no politics

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner's order regulating Zakat donations during Ramadan, stating it was issued after consultations with Muslim community leaders to prevent fraudulent collections. He emphasized that local clerics welcomed the directive and urged political leaders not to politicize the issue. However, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary expressed concerns, arguing such decisions should be made by the elected government, not an individual administrator. Meanwhile, BJP opposition leader Sunil Sharma supported the order, noting the local Muslim community's approval.

Key Points: J&K CM Omar Abdullah backs Kishtwar DC's Ramadan donation directive

  • Order aims to prevent fake NGOs
  • Backed by local Muslim clerics
  • Opposition BJP MLA supports move
  • Deputy CM questions decision-making process
3 min read

"Don't politicise everything": JK CM Omar Abdullah supports Kishtwar DC's Ramadan donation directive

J&K CM Omar Abdullah supports Kishtwar DC's order regulating Ramadan donations, citing community leader consultations to curb fake NGOs.

"We should not do politics on every issue. - Omar Abdullah"

Jammu, February 20

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday defended the Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner's order regulating donations during Ramadan, saying it was issued after consultations with Muslim community leaders to prevent fake NGOs from collecting money.

He added that the directive has been welcomed by local clerics and urged political leaders not to politicise the matter.

Speaking in the Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the order was issued after consultations with Muslim leaders in Kishtwar.

"In the Assembly yesterday, Bandipora MLA Nizammudin Bhat and Ahmed Mir raised the issue of an order passed by Kishtwar DC regarding donations during Ramzan. It was said that the government is interfering in religious matters. After an investigation into the matter, I found that Kishtwar DC did not pass the order randomly, but after discussions with leaders of the Muslim community, who asked him to pass an appropriate order to prevent fake NGOs from popping up during Ramzan and taking money. This order has been welcomed by the Imam of the Jama Masjid of Kishtwar, other Muslim clerics and religious leaders. We should not do politics on every issue," Abdullah said.

However, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary expressed concerns about the decision-making process. He said, "I think the Deputy Commissioner should not take his own decision. There is an elected government, and the decisions of the elected government will be followed... If somewhere a donation is being misused or being used wrongly, then that should not happen... But as far as collecting donations is concerned, that happens in every religion.I don't think this should be the decision of the Deputy Commissioner; this should be the decision of the elected government."

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma welcomed the DC's move, highlighting the local Muslim community's support.

"The order issued by the Deputy Commissioner in Kishtwar is welcome, and yesterday it was a big deal that even the head of the Muslim community there welcomed it. Unfortunately, some local leaders were questioning it... The Muslim community also believes that law and order should be maintained properly where these things are happening. Some people here, who don't even know where Kishtwar is, what is happening, what the matter is, or what order the Deputy Commissioner has issued, start commenting from here... They should remain silent about something they don't know," Sharma told ANI.

The remarks came after the administrative order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir's eastern Kishtwar district to regulate Zakat donations during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The Deputy CM has a valid point about the process. While the intent is good, such directives should ideally come through the elected government's channels to maintain proper democratic protocol. It sets a tricky precedent otherwise.
R
Rohit P
Sunil Sharma is right. Why are people sitting in Delhi or Srinagar commenting on a local Kishtwar issue when the local Imam himself has welcomed it? This is about stopping fraud, not about religion. We need more such practical steps to protect common people's donations.
P
Priya S
As someone from a minority community, I appreciate when the administration works *with* community leaders. It shows respect. Zakat is a sacred duty for Muslims, and ensuring it reaches the right people is crucial. This is good governance, plain and simple.
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Michael C
Interesting to see the BJP MLA supporting the CM's position here. Maybe on issues of administration and fraud prevention, there can be common ground beyond politics. A rare moment of agreement!
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Nisha Z
The CM is correct – we shouldn't politicise everything. If this order helps prevent scams and the local community is happy, then what's the issue? Sometimes we create controversies where none exist. Let the people of Kishtwar decide what's best for them.

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