Srinagar, Dec 24: After putting curbs on his religo-political activities for 14 consecutive Fridays, the state Government on Friday allowed Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to offer prayers at historic Jamia Masjid here.
During his Friday sermon, Mirwaiz came down heavily on state Government for frequently locking up the Jamia and restricting his movement, saying the “pressure tactics” by Government can’t prevent him from performing his political obligations from the Jamia pulpit.
“If they (state Government) think that I will give up to their pressure and shy away from performing my religious and political duties, they are living in a fool’s paradise,” Mirwaiz told the Friday congregation.
“I will continue to plead the sacrifices of our youth and wishes and aspirations of our people. I will continue to raise voice against the 112 civilian killings and the atrocities committed by state Government and New Delhi during the last five months’ agitation,” he said.
In an apparent reference to the criticism by state Government that Mirwaiz was using the Jamia for political activities, Mirwaiz said: “I want to make it clear to those who are opposing me for discussing politics in Jamia that politics is part of religion and I as Mirwaiz would continue to perform this duty from this platform. I am not among those religious leaders who read government scripts in the Masjids. My politics is based on historical facts,” he said amid pro-freedom slogans by the people.
On frequent Jamia siege by the Government in the recent past, Mirwaiz said it was a “ploy” by the state Government to try and belittle the political importance of this platform.
“But we will not give up to their design,” he said.
Mirwaiz had on December 15 shifted from his Nigeen residence to ancestral Rajouri Kadal home to flout Government’s move to continuously place him under house arrest on Fridays. However, during the same night police raided his Rajouri Kadal residence and forcibly shifted him back to Nigeen.
“After more than three and a half months, and 14 Fridays, I have been allowed to move out and offer prayers,” Mirwaiz told Greater Kashmir on phone.
Mirwaiz asked India to come out of “denial mode” and accept that solution to Kashmir “dispute” was possible either through implementation of UN resolutions or holding talks with Pakistan and representatives of Kashmiris.
He accused New Delhi and state Government of playing dilly-dallying tactics for past six decades to resolve Kashmir.
“If they think they can suppress people’s will by using force or imposing curfews then they are living in a fool’s paradise. Our 4th generation is now out on the roads to seek solution of Kashmir as per the wishes and aspirations of people. The more they will try to suppress the issue, the more it will continue to haunt them. Whole world is now asking India to resolve Kashmir,” Mirwaiz said.
About the unrest in Kashmir during which 112 civilians were killed by police and CRPF, Mirwaiz said: “For past four months the state policy was worst than that of Hitler and other cruel leaders.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 24 Dec 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 25 Dec 2010 00:00:00 IST