In his first address after four years, Mirwaiz says he is not anti-national, separatist

‘Kashmir can be a territorial issue for many, but for people of J&K it is humanitarian issue’

In his first speech after August 2019, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday termed Kashmir as a humanitarian issue and said despite advocating peace he was branded as anti-national, anti-peace and separatist.

Mirwaiz, who was released from house arrest after more than four years, delivered his first sermon at historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of old city Srinagar.

“The institution of the Mirwaiz believes in outreach. It believes in dialogue and reason. It is incumbent upon the Mirwaiz to convey the truth to power and to people, and play his role in the interest of people and peace,” he said and added history is witness to the fact that the Mirwaiz has always propagated dialogue and accord, even at the cost of personal loss and suffering.

The Hurriyat chairman said that after August 5, 2019, people have faced difficult times “as J&K's special identity was snatched and was bifurcated in two Union Territories.”

“As a Mirwaiz, I have the responsibility to raise the voice for the people. Since the Hurriyat Conference continued to raise its voice, the media stopped using our statements. I want to tell my people that it is the time to be patient, to keep faith in the Almighty,” he said.

The Mirwaiz said that Hurriyat believes that J&K’s one part is in India while the rest two are in Pakistan and China, “and by merging them fully J&K will be complete, which it was on 14 August 1947.”

“Therefore, this issue needs to be resolved. The J & K issue can be a territorial issue for many, but for the people of J&K it is a humanitarian issue,” he said.

Appealing to the youth to remain peaceful, Mirwaiz said, “Finally to my youth who are the wealth of the nation, I say I respect your feelings, but I request you to be patient and have faith, and strengthen your connection with the almighty and his messenger. That is the key to survival and success.”

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Ukraine issue, he said that he (Modi) was right in saying that the present era is not of war. “We too have been advocating for the resolution of J&K issue through dialogue. Following the path of peace, we had to bear difficulties, but unfortunately, we were branded as separatists, anti-national and anti-peace. But we don't have any personal ambition, we only want peaceful resolution of J&K issue," he said.

“It is because of our peaceful mission that we continued to appeal for the return of Kashmiri migrants,” the Hurriyat chairman said and demanded release of political prisoners, journalists, lawyers, civil society members and others.

After delivering sermons, Mirwaiz appealed to the gathering to leave the Jamia Masjid peacefully.