Mirwaiz for talks; Curbs continue on Geelani, Shabir Shah
Ishfaq Ahmad Shah
Srinagar, Dec 24: Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was allowed to lead Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid after 14 weeks, today vowed to propagate his religious as well as political activities from the pulpit of the historic mosque. It was after the 15 weeks that Friday passed off peacefully at Jamia without any clashes. However, curbs continued to Syed Ali Geelani and Shabir Shah.
“The government is living in a fool’s paradise if they think I will succumb to their pressure. I will continue to discuss religious and politics at Jamia Masjid. Politics is a part of Islam and Jamia Masjid has been a center for political and religious activities from centuries. The siege of Jamia is a ploy to undermine the importance of this platform,” Mirwaiz said while addressing the Friday congregation at Jamia.
He was reacting to government and IGP Kashmir S M Sahai’s statement that he was using the Jamia Masjid for political activities.
Authorities had placed Mirwaiz under house arrest after he led a rally on Eid-ul-Fitr. He was barred from 14 consecutive weeks from offering Friday prayers in Jamia. It was for the first time in past 250 years that Mirwaiz of Kashmir was not allowed to lead Eid-ul Zuha congregational prayers this year.
“I am not among those people, who read out government scripts in mosques. As Mirwaiz and a representative of aspirations of Kashmiri people, I will raise my voice against 112 civilian killings and the atrocities committed by State government on advice of New Delhi during last five months of unrest in the Valley,” Hurriyat (M) chairman said.
Asking GoI to come out of the “denial mode”, Mirwaiz said, “New Delhi should accept ground realities in Kashmir. It has failed to crush aspirations of people even though countless atrocities were committed on hapless people. It is high time for India either to talk to Pakistan and people of Kashmir or implement the United Nations resolutions on Kashmir calling for plebiscite”.
“India cannot delay the resolution of the issue further as the whole world is pressurizing it (Delhi) to resolve the long-pending dispute,” he said.
Taking a dig at Omar Abdullah government for its role during the unrest, Mirwaiz said, “The government surpassed the forces of Hitler and other notorious leaders in committing grave atrocities on Kashmiris. The regime of Hitler and other notorious leaders would not have committed such atrocities as committed by J&K government. Innocents were killed, crackdown on youth and Hurriyat leaders is on and people are being barred from offering prayers and performing other religious duties”.
He demanded immediate release of all the political prisoners and youth, who were arrested during the unrest.
After finishing the Friday prayers, Mirwaiz was accompanied by scores of people to the front gate of Jamia amidst chanting of pro-freedom and pro-Islamic slogans.
The processionists were intercepted by police and CRPF personnel, who were deployed in strength in Nowhatta area. The processionists without clashing with the cops dispersed off peacefully.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani and senior Hurriyat (M) leader Shabir Shah were not allowed to offer Friday prayers for 15th and 7th week respectively.
He was reacting to government and IGP Kashmir S M Sahai’s statement that he was using the Jamia Masjid for political activities.
Authorities had placed Mirwaiz under house arrest after he led a rally on Eid-ul-Fitr. He was barred from 14 consecutive weeks from offering Friday prayers in Jamia. It was for the first time in past 250 years that Mirwaiz of Kashmir was not allowed to lead Eid-ul Zuha congregational prayers this year.
“I am not among those people, who read out government scripts in mosques. As Mirwaiz and a representative of aspirations of Kashmiri people, I will raise my voice against 112 civilian killings and the atrocities committed by State government on advice of New Delhi during last five months of unrest in the Valley,” Hurriyat (M) chairman said.
Asking GoI to come out of the “denial mode”, Mirwaiz said, “New Delhi should accept ground realities in Kashmir. It has failed to crush aspirations of people even though countless atrocities were committed on hapless people. It is high time for India either to talk to Pakistan and people of Kashmir or implement the United Nations resolutions on Kashmir calling for plebiscite”.
“India cannot delay the resolution of the issue further as the whole world is pressurizing it (Delhi) to resolve the long-pending dispute,” he said.
Taking a dig at Omar Abdullah government for its role during the unrest, Mirwaiz said, “The government surpassed the forces of Hitler and other notorious leaders in committing grave atrocities on Kashmiris. The regime of Hitler and other notorious leaders would not have committed such atrocities as committed by J&K government. Innocents were killed, crackdown on youth and Hurriyat leaders is on and people are being barred from offering prayers and performing other religious duties”.
He demanded immediate release of all the political prisoners and youth, who were arrested during the unrest.
After finishing the Friday prayers, Mirwaiz was accompanied by scores of people to the front gate of Jamia amidst chanting of pro-freedom and pro-Islamic slogans.
The processionists were intercepted by police and CRPF personnel, who were deployed in strength in Nowhatta area. The processionists without clashing with the cops dispersed off peacefully.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani and senior Hurriyat (M) leader Shabir Shah were not allowed to offer Friday prayers for 15th and 7th week respectively.
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