Kashmir Mosque Profiling: Governance or Persecution? The Politics of Outrage

• Jammu and Kashmir's administrative exercise to compile details of mosques, madrassas, and imams has sparked political uproar, framed as an assault on religious freedom.
• Political leaders like Mehbooba Mufti and Sajad Lone criticize the profiling, but the article argues such claims are unconvincing, comparing it to oversight in other Muslim-majority nations.
• Countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, and Indonesia implement strict oversight of religious institutions, regulating imams, sermons, and finances to prevent extremism, without being accused of undermining Islam.
• The article highlights Kashmir's history of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, where religious platforms were misused for radicalization and terror financing, making oversight crucial.
• It asserts that religious freedom does not grant immunity from transparency or accountability, noting that other religious institutions in India are also regulated, and calls the outrage 'political theatre'.

Why It Matters: Mosque profiling in Kashmir is a necessary governance step, not persecution, aligning with global best practices.