Murad Bichoo
Every year Muharram processions are held across the Kashmir valley. However, the limelight remains on the procession that marches towards Srinagar’s city center- Lal Chowk.
The traditional Muharram procession used to pass through the areas of Abi Guzar, Lal Chowk and Dalgate but has been banned since militancy erupted in 1990 as authorities maintain that the religious gathering has been used for “propagating separatist politics.”
On 17 August, hundreds of mourners appeared out of alleys of the City’s Batamaloo, Shaheed Gunj and Dal Gate areas, chanting slogans and rhymes in praise of Imam Hussain- the grandson of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala in October 680.
Scores of Muslim mourners were detained when they tried to march towards Lal Chowk, Srinagar. Among those detained was Muzaffar Hussain- father of three children, who like every year had joined the procession.
Later that evening, all the mourners were released by the Police. A few months later, Muzaffar and his wife had a new child. “It is not been more than a month since Muzaffar’s daughter was born,” his brother said.
He said that on 07 March, he got a call asking him to present himself to the local Police station. “When he went along with three other boys from the same locality, they did not return. Later when we looked for them, It came to the fore that the four had been booked under Anti-terror law (UAPA),” his brother told The Kashmiriyat.
“My brother was arrested last year in August along with other youth, however, they were released the same evening but on March 7 they were summoned to a police station in kothibagh and on the same day were taken in detention,” he said.
Last year four youth among the mourners in the Muharram procession, belonging to Gund Hassi Bhat area of Srinagar outskirts were arrested for raising “Anti India slogans” and later booked under UAPA.
The four were identified as Rafaqat Ali, Muzaffar Hussain, Mohammed Abbas and Muddasir Ali.
The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), is the primary counter-terror law in India. The terror law has come under sharp scrutiny recently with various courts finding application of the UAPA arbitrary.
The UAPA was originally enacted in 1967. Indira Gandhi was the prime minister. But that law is not under scrutiny now. The law has undergone over half-a-dozen amendments, the last one in 2019 under the Narendra Modi government.
“On March 7 they were summoned to a police station in Kothibagh and on the same day were taken in detention. We were informed later that all these four were booked under UAPA,” Muzaffar’s brother said.
He said that Muzaffar is the sole bread earner to his family comprising of him, his wife, three children including a newborn.
“My brother is not financially stable. His Family is suffering. We have applied for his bail some days ago and now we are waiting for the decision of the court,” he said.
Detention of the youngsters from Gund Hasi Bhat under UAPA after they were released,is deliberately pushing them & their families to the wall. @JmuKmrPolice can refrain from this intimidation.Ruining the lives of youngsters with UAPA for mere sloganeering is cowardice.Let ‘em go.
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) March 10, 2022
Several people including the former MLA, Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi have demanded the release of the four. Taking to Twitter Ruhullah wrote, “Detention of the youngsters from Gund Hasi Bhat under UAPA after they were released, is deliberately pushing them & their families to the wall. @JmuKmrPolice can refrain from this intimidation. Ruining the lives of youngsters with UAPA for mere sloganeering is cowardice. Let ‘em go.”