India, Oct. 13 -- The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board's proposal to introduce common themes for Friday sermons across its affiliated mosques and religious institutions has triggered a political and religious controversy, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and several religious and political figures opposing the move.

Waqf Board chairperson Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, however, on Tuesday clarified that no order had been issued making uniform Friday sermons mandatory, asserting that religious scholars and preachers were free to decide the subjects they wished to address.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Andrabi said neither she nor any Waqf Board official could dictate what should be preached from the p...