KL Report
Srinagar
Authorities on Friday placed chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference under house arrest, a day ahead of martyrs’ day.
Ayaz Akhbar, spokesman of Hurriyat Conference (G) said that the chairman of the amalgam Syed Ali Geelani continued to be under house arrest.
“He was not even allowed to offer first Friary prayers of the ongoing holy month of Ramdhan. In-fact more policeman were deployed outside his (Hyderpora) residence,” he said, adding, “The recent statement by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that Geelani sahib is a freeman and that there are no restrictions on him to offer prayers is nothing but a white lie and far from reality.”
He said that even as the octogenarian leader was allowed to offer a few Friday prayers in 2012, this year so far he has not been allowed to offer Friday prayer once ever since he returned to Valley from New Delhi in March.
“Geelani sahib has been confined in 10X12 room of his residence and today marked the 19th instance in a row when he was barred from offering the prayers,” he said, according to KNS.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was also placed under house arrest and barred to from addressing a Friday gathering at historic Jamia Masjid here.
In a statement Mirwaiz expressed his anger and condemned the state authorities for not allowing him to offer the first Friday prayer of Ramadhan by placing him under house arrest.
He alleged that the authorities have usurped the political, religious and economical rights of Kashmiris and are now hell bent to suppress the peoples voices under the jackboots.
Addressing a gathering by telephone at Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Mirwaiz said that restrictions and house detentions will in no way deter us in pursuing the cause neither it would suppress the genuine voices of Kashmiris.
Terming July 13 as a historical day in Kashmirs history, he said on this day Kashmir rose against the monarchical and despotic rule and demanded their political and economic rights. He said on this day, Kashmiris did not bow before the despotic rulers who were ruling by spreading fear. He said they (Kashmiris) offered their lives demanding their rights thereby laying the foundation of the freedom struggle in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Hurriyat (M) Chairman claimed that political and economic enslavement of Kashmiris since 1931 continues till date. He said the rights of Kashmiris over its water and natural resources have been usurped, adding, it was deliberate policy of the government to make Kashmiris economically dependent.
Mirwaiz once again appealed Kashmiris to make the protest programme announced by them in connection with the July 13 programme a success. He said impressive procession would be taken out from Jamia Masjid to Naqashbandh Sahib (RA) to pay tributes to the martyrs.
Meanwhile Jamia Masjid Imam Syed Ahmad Saeed Naqashbandi has sternly castigated the house detention of Mirwaiz and termed it as direct interference in the religious matters
of the chief cleric of Jammu and Kashmir.
