Srinagar, Dec 3 (PTI) Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the body that looks after the historic Srinagar mosque, on Friday protested against the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir administration to disallow the weekly congregational prayers there. The Anjuman said the authorities were stopping Muslims from performing important religious duty of offering Friday prayers at the largest place of worship in Jammu and Kashmir. "Once again today men, women, and elderly people who came from various parts of the Valley were deprived from offering Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid Srinagar," the Anjuman said in a statement. It claimed that the mosque was shut down for the weekly Friday prayers for the 43rd time this year. "It is the 17th consecutive Friday since Juma prayers have not been allowed in the Jamia Masjid Srinagar while Muslims have not been allowed to offer congregational Friday prayers. “The pulpit and mihraab of the grand mosque are silent," the Anjuman added. The religious body said it was outraged by the "dictatorial behaviour" of the authorities."The Jamia Masjid Srinagar is being kept closed for worship under a nefarious plan which was extremely painful for the Kashmiri people and also a sheer interference with religion. "Such measures expose the hollow claims of the proponents of the so-called democracy," it said "We and the people of Jammu and Kashmir are unable to understand that on one hand, all the places of worship of the followers of different religions have been opened for the performance of their religious rites, while on the other hand, the Jamia Masjid Srinagar is being subjected to vengeance, which is extremely regrettable and reprehensible," the body added. PTI MIJ VN VN