Mirwaiz Umar heckled, again!

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Nov 28: Two days after chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was hackled allegedly by a group of Kashmiri Pandit activists at a seminar in Chandigarh, the Mirwaiz had to face a similar situation at Kolkata today when activists of BJP’s student wing hurled eggs at his vehicle after attending a seminar on Kashmir.

According to reports, the Hurriyat (M) chairman was coming out of an auditorium after attending the seminar - “Kashmir- A Way Out” - organised by Centre for Peace and Progress when some irate student activists of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) started raising slogans for his alleged “anti-India statements” during his addressed at the seminar. The protestors also carried banners, reading 'Bharat Ek Hai' and 'Mirwaiz Murdabad'.

Police personnel swung into action and whisked the senior separatist leader from the spot. The protestors hurled eggs at Mirwaiz’s vehicle as it drove away from the seminar venue. Later, the security personnel reportedly arrested 25 members of ABVP.

Earlier, addressing the seminar at Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata, Mirwaiz urged the Indian intelligentsia, and denizens of Kolkata to make people aware of ground realities in Kashmir, and build pressure on New Delhi for amicable resolution of Kashmir dispute.

Mirwaiz reiterated that Kashmir was a “disputed land” and that New Delhi should realize the “strong sentiments of 'Azadi' (freedom) of the people of the valley”.

"Until and unless New Delhi addresses the core issue, nothing can be achieved,” he said, adding the core issue was not development or economic packages, but “it is the strong sentiments of the people of Kashmir who want Azadi”.

Accusing New Delhi of “double speak”, Mirwaiz said, “on one hand they claim that they want to resume dialogue process and on the other hand they are arresting Kashmiri youth”.

“Enough is enough, we want a solution,” Mirwaiz reportedly told the jam packed auditorium.

Mirwaiz, who is also the head priest of historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar, told the gathering that he had not been allowed to offer Friday prayers for the last three months.

“I have been restricted to perform my religious duties,” he said.

He said the world community had declared Kashmir as “disputed territory” and it was stressing the need for resolving Kashmir according to the wishes of its denizens.

Stating that resolution of Kashmir issue was imperative for peace in the sub continent, Mirwaiz said, “unless and until Kashmir issue is resolved, the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan can not improve”.

Referring to the amalgam’s demand for complete demilitarization of Kashmir, Mirwaiz said, “Government has over and again stated that infiltration has come down then I wonder what is the use of keeping a much larger number of troops in the valley”.

“Why are the black laws not yet withdrawn? Why is the government using force in the Valley," he asked.

While referring to dialogue process, Mirwaiz said that the dialogue must be “meaningful” and “result oriented”.

“Hurriyat Conference (M) had in 2004 proposed repeal of AFSPA and other black laws, remove of bunkers and watch towers from Srinagar city, release of political detenues, but none of these issues has been addressed so far by New Delhi," he said. “New Delhi must realise the sentiments of people of Kashmir.”

The reports said when Mirwaiz was asked by one of the speakers at the seminar, former army chief General (retired), Shankar Roy Choudhury, if he considered Kashmir a part of India, the Hurriyat (M) chairman said: "No, Kashmir is a disputed land and we want a solution."

Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference (M) has strongly condemned attack on Mirwaiz at Kolkata, and said that the amalgam would not be cowed down by such incidents.

In a statement issued to the press here, the spokesperson of the party said that the conglomerate would continue its struggle for the freedom of Kashmir.

Pertinently, on November 25, the Hurriyat (M) chairman was attacked by Kashmiri Pandits and activists of Hindu groups far an “anti-India speech” at Chandigarh. A criminal complaint was also filed today in a local court accusing the Mirwaiz of “waging a war against the country by making seditious statements”.