MUMBAI: Music is a free form of self-expression and has over the years drawn people to its various forms which have been appreciated across the globe. In recent times, music has come under attack from several communities in India, raising a question mark on the democratic culture of the country. The recent controversy over the all-girl Kashmiri rock band, ‘Pragaash’ has created a ruffle in the music industry with most artistes standing up for the art form.

The band has now decided to call it quits after only one concert, because of the threats its three teenaged members received on social media along with criticism from religious fanatics.

The band called it quits after a fatwa was issued against them by the valley's Grand Mufti, Bashir-ud-Din, who said that women must live in ‘purdah’ at all times. Blaming women for the increase in crimes against them, he said that women must desist from performing in public as otherwise; there will be no difference between ‘our women and film actresses’.

Pragaash performed in public for the first time in December at a ‘Battle of the Bands’ music festival organized by an Indian paramilitary force, where it won third place. The group has since then, received abuse and hate mails on Facebook.

According to reports, the group states that why they have been described as ‘un-Islamic’, when male bands are allowed to perform in the same space. The region has a history of women dancing and singing in public at festivals and marriages, even though some clerics oppose such behaviour.

The Muslim-majority state's grand mufti criticized the girl band for what he said was indecent behaviour. “When girls and young women stray from the rightful path, this kind of non-serious activity can become the first step towards our destruction,” Grand Mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad said in a statement.

A case registered by police today over the abusive and threatening online posts helped to identify around six Facebook users who had posted hate messages on the page of the band, with the help of experts from the cyber crime cell.

“A case under Section 66 A of the IT Act and Section 506 RPC (Criminal Intimidation) has been registered in police station Rajbagh with regard to the hate messages posted on the Facebook page of the Pragaash band,” a Jammu and Kashmir police spokesman told an agency.

Inspite of the controversy, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and many other musicians from the fraternity have also spoken strongly against the issue and supporting the band.

Radioandmusic.com also garnered a lot of support for the girl band from many male musicians.

Luke Kenny (Musician): It is very unfortunate and against the constitutional rights of the country. Opposing a band just because of their gender is very wrong and I feel more encouragement should pour out for them and the matter should be peacefully opposed. Sometimes language gets attached along with music too as we have seen in recent times, as it has come under a lot of attack. Music should not be controlled like this, we don’t see it happen in any other country apart from ours sadly.

Gary Lawyer (Singer): It is really ridiculous that girls cannot express themselves. It’s something absurd. India is a democratic country and this kind of stuff should not happen.

Agnee band member Mohan Kannan: The situation is really ridiculous from anyone. In a strange way it will help the girls to push all odd and come up. People can push them down but people would like to hear then now. I would like to hear them. I saw my friend Vishal Dadlani's tweet that he would offer them record deal. This will basically give chance to many musicians to express through their music. They can’t suppress them. People should stop doing such sad things. Whole country will be looking at the people or individual in a demeaning way, who has caused the children to suffer. No political or religious way can stop people from expressing.

Modern Mafia band member Varun Das: As a musician its terrible thing to hear. Music has no barrier in any way be it gender or religion. I would say that it is one of the few terrible things that have been happening lately in our country. It just there and the problem is that it exists.

Apart from that, composer Vishal Dadlani also stepped up to help the band through his posts on social networking sites like facebook and twitter. But the girl band, which is still in high school, has refused his help and are adamant on their decision to disband; leading to another sad story where the freedom of expression has been curtailed in our country.