India
Mirwaiz: Mirwaiz freed after 4 years, seeks talks, calls for return of Pandits at Friday prayers
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SRINAGAR: More than four years after being detained in the wake of Article 370’s abrogation, Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was released from house arrest on Friday and soon after led the prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid where he called for the Kashmir issue to be resolved through dialogue.
Leading the prayers as Kashmir’s top clergyman that gives him the Mirwaiz title, he lamented that despite advocating peace, it was unfortunate that he was branded “anti-national, anti-peace and separatist”.
Holding fort at his usual pulpit for the first time since he was put in detention on August 4, 2019 — a day ahead of Article 370’s scrapping — the Mirwaiz pushed for the return of Pandits. “We have always invited our Pandit brothers to return to the Valley,” he said, often turning emotional and teary-eyed during his address.
The Mirwaiz pointed out that Kashmir might be a territorial question for many but for the people of the region, it was “foremost a humanitarian issue” to be addressed through talks. According to him, Hurriyat believes “J&K’s one part is in India while the rest two are in Pakistan and China, and by merging them fully, J&K will be complete, as it was on August 14, 1947”.
The Hurriyat chief referred to PM Narendra Modi’s statement on the Ukraine conflict that “this is not an era of war”, arguing the sentiment holds true in the context of Kashmir, too. “We have always believed and participated in efforts of resolution through an alternative to violent means, which is dialogue and reconciliation. We have personally suffered for pursuing this route,” he said.
After August 5, 2019, people have faced difficult times as J&K’s “special identity was snatched and was bifurcated in two UTs”, the Mirwaiz said, describing his detention as the “most difficult phase” of his life after his father’s death. “I was forced to move courts and was informed yesterday by senior officers that I will be released.”
The Mirwaiz had on September 15 moved the Jammu and Kashmir high court, which had sought the government’s response in four weeks.
Asserting that he had “the responsibility to raise the voice for the people” as the Mirwaiz, the Hurriyat chief called for release of all political prisoners, journalists, lawyers, civil society members and youths. “I want to tell my people to be patient, to keep faith in the almighty,” he said, signing off by urging the gathering to leave the mosque “peacefully”.
The request was kept, with divisional commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri confirming the congregation concluded peacefully. “The credit goes to the people and (security) agencies, who took the decision after calculating things,” Bidhuri said. The allusion possibly was to releasing the Mirwaiz and allowing him to lead the prayer meet.
Leading the prayers as Kashmir’s top clergyman that gives him the Mirwaiz title, he lamented that despite advocating peace, it was unfortunate that he was branded “anti-national, anti-peace and separatist”.
Holding fort at his usual pulpit for the first time since he was put in detention on August 4, 2019 — a day ahead of Article 370’s scrapping — the Mirwaiz pushed for the return of Pandits. “We have always invited our Pandit brothers to return to the Valley,” he said, often turning emotional and teary-eyed during his address.
The Mirwaiz pointed out that Kashmir might be a territorial question for many but for the people of the region, it was “foremost a humanitarian issue” to be addressed through talks. According to him, Hurriyat believes “J&K’s one part is in India while the rest two are in Pakistan and China, and by merging them fully, J&K will be complete, as it was on August 14, 1947”.
The Hurriyat chief referred to PM Narendra Modi’s statement on the Ukraine conflict that “this is not an era of war”, arguing the sentiment holds true in the context of Kashmir, too. “We have always believed and participated in efforts of resolution through an alternative to violent means, which is dialogue and reconciliation. We have personally suffered for pursuing this route,” he said.
After August 5, 2019, people have faced difficult times as J&K’s “special identity was snatched and was bifurcated in two UTs”, the Mirwaiz said, describing his detention as the “most difficult phase” of his life after his father’s death. “I was forced to move courts and was informed yesterday by senior officers that I will be released.”
The Mirwaiz had on September 15 moved the Jammu and Kashmir high court, which had sought the government’s response in four weeks.
Asserting that he had “the responsibility to raise the voice for the people” as the Mirwaiz, the Hurriyat chief called for release of all political prisoners, journalists, lawyers, civil society members and youths. “I want to tell my people to be patient, to keep faith in the almighty,” he said, signing off by urging the gathering to leave the mosque “peacefully”.
The request was kept, with divisional commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri confirming the congregation concluded peacefully. “The credit goes to the people and (security) agencies, who took the decision after calculating things,” Bidhuri said. The allusion possibly was to releasing the Mirwaiz and allowing him to lead the prayer meet.
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