Hurriyat Conference (M) on Friday “regretted” that the government “went back on their decision” and placed the amalgam chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house detention again.
In a statement, the Hurriyat expressed “strong resentment and regret that after announcing the release of it’s chairman and Mirwaiz e Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq from twenty month long house detention since August 2019, Government authorities went back on their decision.”
The statement said that late last night police officials visited Mirwaiz’s residence to convey to him that he continues to be under house arrest, and will not be allowed to go to Jama Masjid for Friday prayers and Majlis waz-o-tableeg today. “And since early morning additional forces have been deployed outside his house and in the area converting it into a garrison,” read the statement.
Interestingly, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs had recently said in the Parliament that no one in Jammu & Kashmir was under house arrest. “If that is so why does the Mirwaiz continue to be detained?” asked Hurriyat, in the statement.
“This imperious decision of the authorities has hurt the sentiments of people and further aggrieved them, as they were eagerly awaiting Mirwaiz’s release from arbitrary house arrest,” said the statement.
“APHC appeals to people that though hugely disappointing they should not lose hope and [instead] show patience and at no cost resort to any form of violent protest.”