Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday linked Article 35 A with the existence of every citizen of J&K and called for revival of local area committees across the State for mass mobilisation of people if the law guaranteeing special rights to people of the state is revoked. Mirwaiz said leadership and the people of the entire state were ready mentally and physically to launch a massive stir if Article 35 A is tinkered with.
Addressing a Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid here, Mirwaiz said that if any adverse decision comes from the Supreme Court on August 27, a mass agitation will be launched forthwith.
“People are mentally and physically ready to hit the streets in such a case. Leadership and every citizen of the state are geared up to protest and defend Article 35 A at every cost as it is a matter of our very existence,” the Mirwaiz said. He urged the elders of every locality to go for mobilisation at all levels including at the grassroots level of Masjids and Mohalla committees so that an agitation is started with full force.
Mirwaiz said that every person irrespective of age has to play a role and be ready to defend their “very existence” which is directly linked with the Article 35 A. The law guarantees special citizenship rights to the people of J&K and bars outsiders from buying land in the State.
He said the leadership has already discussed the issue with all segments of society and in case any adverse judgement comes on August 27 from the Supreme Court, a mass agitation would start from the very movement. He urged people to observe an exemplary strike on August 26 and 27 on the line of August 5 and 6 to prove that people of J&K would fight tooth and nail to safeguard the Article 35 A.
Strongly denouncing the fresh notices issued to Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Muhammad Yasin Malik by the Enforcement Directorate, Mirwaiz said that these ploys have outlived their effectiveness and people of J&K are well aware of the motive behind them which is to intimidate and malign the leadership by New Delhi.
“it is naive to think that leadership can be pressurized by these tactics or will give up leading the struggle,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that last year leaders and activists were booked in fake and fabricated cases. Since then they are lodged in notorious Tihar Jail in New Delhi under sub-human conditions and now ED is being used against the leadership. He strongly condemned the nocturnal raids in various parts of Kashmir especially in south Kashmir where frequent search operations have become a routine affair to vandalize homes and harass inmates.
Mirwaiz also urged people to observe Eid-ul Azha with austerity and to reach out to poor and destitute to ensure their participation the festival of sacrifices.
He announced that Eid-ul-Azha prayers will be offered at 9 am at Eidgah grounds and Eid sermon will commence from 8 am. Mirwaiz appealed people to donate the hides of sacrificial animals to Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam. Meanwhile, a protest rally was taken out at Jamia Masjid against the assault on the state subject law and against the ill-treatment meted out to Kashmiri prisoners lodged in different jails in and outside Kashmir.