Keeping Mirwaiz forcibly away from pulpit of Jamia Masjid extremely tragic: APHC

SRINAGAR — All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by incarcerated Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said that keeping the Mirwaiz forcibly away from the pulpit of central Jamia Masjid Srinagar, which is the most representative symbol of the indigenous Muslim identity and tradition of Kashmir is extremely sad and tragic.

“This oppressive measure seems fundamentally aimed at gradually eroding the Muslim character of the state by undermining its Islamic practices, traditions, and symbols in the name of so-called ‘integration’. One fails to understand any other reason for silencing the pulpit of central Jamia Masjid since August 2019,” APHC said in a statement issued to the news agency KNO.

APHC said that “the fear of demographic change and disempowerment among people of Jammu and Kashmir gets further strengthened by such repressive actions.”

Expressing serious concern, APHC said that “the drastic changes brought to the land laws of J-K by the authorities in the name of “reforms” that end the owners’ right to hold on to properties on the lease, and plans to outsource these properties afresh online is another attempt to disempower the citizens of J&K and take away their land on which they, by natural principle, have the first right and to settle outsiders here. It’s a grave issue as it affects the livelihood of lakhs of J&K people directly and indirectly associated with the tourism sector and people are greatly resenting it.”

APHC said that authorities should withdraw such diktats and not further add to people’s woes.

Meanwhile, APHC said that arbitrary raids on people’s homes and organizations across J-K and arrests, especially of youth, continue unabated. “Besides killings and disappearances also continue in the world’s most militarised zone. The need for resolution of the Kashmir conflict is urgent as ever,” it said.