Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR
Imam Jamia Masjid Kishtwar Farooq Ahmed Kichloo Friday called for a protest on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, besides asked people of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar district to wear black bands on their arms to show its solidarity with the people of Kashmir and those killed and injured in on-going Kashmir uprising which was triggered by the killing of popular Hizb commander Burhan Wani on July 8 this year.
While addressing a mammoth gathering of faithful during his Friday sermon, Imam Jamia Kishtwar condemned the continuous spell of killing of innocent people in Kashmir, besides use of force against unarmed protesters who are demanding plebiscite and termed their demand as genuine and asked the government of India to fulfil its commitment made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir from time to time.
“Jammu and Kashmir issue should be solved in accordance to the people’s aspirations and denounced the call of separate statehood for Jammu,” he said.
“J&K is not the issue of Jammu or Kashmir; it is the issue of whole state involving Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” said Farooq Kichloo.
“Muslims of Jammu equally contributed in Kashmir issue,” he asserted. “Muslim majority areas of Jammu Division including Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch areas are not in favour of being a part of Jammu state.”
He added that the Muslims living in Jammu Division extend their full support to Kashmir movement.
“Around 6.5 lakh Muslims of Jammu lost their lives after partition for the cause which is yet to be fulfilled. The sacrifices made by the Muslims of Jammu could not be forgotten. The government of India also failed to fulfil its promise of rehabilitation of Jammu Muslims,” he said adding that the government of India failed to safeguard the properties of Jammu Muslims who migrated to Pakistan during 1947 massacre.
He asked the people to follow the decision taken by the Shoora committee by wearing black bands during Eid Namaz for which 9 AM time was fixed.
He also asked the people to take part in post Eid Namaz procession and asked them to raise pro-freedom slogans, beside slogans in favour of demand of bringing an end to use of force in Kashmir and also asked the politicians not to install Eid greeting banners in and around Eidgah venue as well as on the traditional Eid procession march and asked them instead to concentrate on how Kashmir issue could be solved in accordance to the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
