On Friday, the Hurriyat Conference, in a statement, refuteing “the deliberate misinformation spread by Manoj Sinha on the continuous detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq” said that the Mirwaiz must be allowed to deliver the Friday Sermon on August 26, if he has not been illegally detained.
Pertinently, in an interview with BBC Hindi, LG Manoj Sinha said, “Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is not under house arrest. We have kept cops around him for his safety. He should decide what he wants.”
“Let Mirwaiz be allowed to deliver the Friday Sermon on 26th Aug, if he has not been illegally detained,” the APHC said in reaction to the interview.
Meanwhile, in the statement, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) expressed “amazement” at the video statement given to BBC Hindi by the LG of J&K Mr Manoj Sinha, “where he lied about the APHC chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq not being under house detention for the past three years since August 2019 but instead, the force’s vehicles and personnel stationed outside his house are there for his safety.”
The APHC said that such blatant misrepresentation of facts and denial of his incarceration is unbelievable.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq “for the last three years has forcibly not been allowed to come out of his house, despite repeated appeals from all sections of people to the authorities, including religious ulemas across Kashmir,” said the APHC.
It added that the media reports bear witness to it. “Being the Mirwaiz he is even stopped from going to Jamia Masjid on Fridays to deliver religious sermons from its pulpit which is the centuries-old tradition in J&K or to visit other sacred places on critical religious occasions,” said the APHC in the statement.
“Except for close relatives, no one is allowed to enter the house. How can these facts be negated and claims of his not being under house arrest made?” APHC asked.
It said that if the authorities now want to release the Mirwaiz it is welcome, but giving such misleading statements to save face, is mischievous.
APHC said it also “wants to clear the air on LGs other statements in that interview that APHC leadership has been playing both sides.”
APHC said in the statement that it was sad that its chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq like his forefathers has always believed in and supported the fundamental truth of democracy – people’s right to make a choice in their future through non-violent means without fear or favour; and the subsequent belief that this is the road to lasting peace and prosperity for the entire subcontinent.
“Mirwaiz and his forefathers represented and defended this basic interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their engagements with both India and Pakistan and in the course suffered exile, martyrdoms and incarcerations,” reads the statement.
It added that the belief in these ideals helped the APHC chairman bear the harshness and loneliness of house incarceration for the past three years.
There has never been any personal ambition of acquiring power to rule, or material gain that would tempt this leadership to play to or appease both or any side, said the APHC, also adding, “Talks held with India and Pakistan were only to find a resolution and get the people of Kashmir out of the vicious cycle of violence.”
APHC said that its stand was and is consistent – “Kashmir resolution must be as per the aspirations of its people and to the satisfaction of the other two parties involved in the conflict namely India and Pakistan, through peaceful means preferably dialogue and deliberations.”
APHC has in the past and will in the future support every endeavour in this direction, safeguarding the interests of the people of J&K, it added.
Meanwhile, it said that if the authorities have now decided to release the Mirwaiz, “let him be allowed to deliver the Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid this Friday and let them not stop people from assembling there to listen to him.”
Hurriyat reiterated its appeal to release all political prisoners, youth and activists detained in jails across India in the statement.
Meanwhile, reacting sharply to the LG’s claims of Mirwaiz not being under house arrest, People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone said in a tweet, “I think LG sahib needs to verify facts. His statements don’t reflect reality. May I humbly state that the tradition of locking up leaders and then denying is an old worn-out tradition. It has been happening for the last 3 decades.”
Earlier this month, on the third anniversary of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Umar Farooq’s detention, Lone had also rendered an apology for not raising his voice against Mirwaiz’s detention.
Lone had tweeted, “Spare a thought for @MirwaizKashmir He is under continued detention for the last four years. And none of us has talked about him. My apologies.”
He also added, “We may differ politically but he inspires us as a religious head. A religious head who spearheaded the forces of moderation.”
Meanwhile, the Hurriyat Conference said that it has filed a right to reply with the BBC with regards to the false claims. “We call on BBC Hindi to investigate the claims and carry our response to their one-sided story,” it added.