Sufi

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has criticised the holding of the International Yoga Day event on the lawns of a revered shrine in Budgam district, calling the programme a "photo-op." The Army had on Wednesday, in collaboration with the administration, organised a yoga session for school students on the lawns of the shrine of Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, popularly known as Sheikh-Ul-Alam and Alamdar-e-Kashmir, at Charar-e-Shareef in the central Kashmir district. "The burial place of one of our most revered saints is used as a venue for a yoga day photo op!" Abdullah, the vice president of the National Conference (NC), said in a tweet. Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu too took exception to the event calling it "absolutely hare-brained." "An absolutely hare-brained, inconsiderate idea to organise a demonstration at the shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, Sheikh-Ul-Alam (RA). "I'm all for Yoga but this is immensely problematic. Places of religious ..

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said Sufism was a part of India's rich cultural heritage. Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, had a meeting with Sufis and saints here. "Kashmir has been since beginning the focal point of India's rich heritage. Sufi culture is also part of that richness which is embodiment of peace and liberalism," he tweeted in Hindi. "Today, I met Sufi saints in Srinagar and held a detailed discussion for re-establishing peace and coexistence in Kashmir," he added.

All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB) urged govts across world including Modi govt to "revive" Sufism in their bid to combat terrorism