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Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mirwaiz allowed to deliver Friday sermon after two weeks; says frequent house arrest will not change facts
SRINAGAR: Hurriyat Conference chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq , was allowed to deliver the Friday sermon at Srinagar's historic Jamia Masjid after two weeks, and he used the occasion to ask the J&K administration to desist from preventing people from exercising their fundamental rights with regard to religious practices. In a statement issued after the prayers, Mirwaiz, who was placed under house arrest on the past two Fridays, said: 'Repeatedly preventing me from coming to the Jamia Masjid on Fridays is completely uncalled for. It is a direct interference in the religious rights of people, which alienates them further, serving no other purpose.' Such restrictions 'don't change historical facts', he asserted. Authorities had barred Mirwaiz Farooq from leading the Friday prayers earlier this month, allegedly to stop him from making any reference to the killing of 22 people during an uprising against Maharaja Hari Singh on July 13, 1931, in his sermon. The date holds historical significance in Kashmir. 'I have always asked that people be allowed to freely practice their fundamental rights, which includes the right to offer prayers and listen to Friday sermons,' Mirwaiz said. 'I hope these arbitrary restraints are stopped, and I am allowed to visit Jamia Masjid without hindrance.' In his sermon, he also focused on the situation in Palestine and expressed solidarity 'with the oppressed people of Gaza'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo 'We gather here in peace, but our hearts bleed for our brothers and sisters in Gaza, who are facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and starvation. Innocent civilians, especially children, are being relentlessly bombarded even as they search for food and safety. Starvation is being used as a weapon of war,' he said. Since his release in Sept 2023, after being under house arrest for four years following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Mirwaiz has frequently faced restrictions, with police often detaining him at home on Fridays without offering any explanation.
The Print
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
J-K: Mirwaiz claims he is under house arrest
The Hurriyat leader was placed under house arrest on July 11, two days ahead of the July 13 commemoration function for martyrs of 1931. 'For second consecutive Friday I remain under house detention – with every lane and by-lane to my residence barricaded, causing inconvenience to the entire neighbourhood,' Mirwaiz said in a post on X. Srinagar, Jul 18 (PTI) Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claimed to have been placed under house detention for the second consecutive Friday. 'Let me make it clear to the rulers, the memory of our martyrs cannot be regulated by them. It resides in our hearts. Facts and history cannot be erased by lockdowns and barring people from visiting the martyrs graveyards or stopping me from going to Jama Masjid on Fridays, not by appeasing narratives or shameful communal distortions, if it resides in the collective memory of people, which it does,' he said. 'The Marty's of July 13 1931 were the frontrunners of the political movement in Kashmir; a people's just struggle against oppression. They are and will remain our inspiration,' he added. July 13 is commemorated as 'Martyrs Day' in Jammu and Kashmir as a tribute to 22 people killed by the Dogra army outside Srinagar's central jail in 1931. The L-G administration had dropped the day from the list of gazetted holidays in 2020. PTI MIJ DV DV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mirwaiz detained ahead of July 13 Martyrs' Day, NC calls it ‘unfortunate'
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (File photo) SRINAGAR: J&K authorities barred Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from leading Friday prayers at Srinagar's historic Jamia Mosque, with Kashmir 's chief cleric claiming this was done to stop him from mentioning the 'martyrs of July 13, 1931' in his sermon. The day is significant in Kashmir's history as 22 people were killed during an uprising against Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. The governing National Conference (NC), which does not control police or security in the Union territory, voiced support for Mirwaiz, calling his house arrest 'deeply unfortunate and unacceptable'. Mirwaiz confirmed the arrest but asserted that the sacrifice of 'these martyrs and all martyrs since is etched in the collective memory of Kashmir and cannot not be undone by restrictions and bans'. Mirwaiz -- detained ahead of Friday prayers several times in recent months over security reasons -- vowed to visit the martyr's graveyards on July 13 and pay homage according to 'our tradition, urging the authorities to remove the restrictions. 'Silencing a religious leader, especially before July 13, dishonours not just his voice but the legacy of our martyrs. July 13 was a turning point in Kashmir's history, a brave stand against tyranny and injustice. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could Dubai Be the Smartest Move for Property Investors? Binghatti Developers FZE Contact Us Undo No bans or restrictions can erase the memory. Kashmir will always honour its martyrs with dignity, peace, and truth,' NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said. This year, July 13 assumes significance as it is the first time since Article 370 's abrogation on Aug 5, 2019, that an elected govt is in place in J&K. On Thursday, NC had conveyed to local authorities president Farooq Abdullah's plans to visit Mazar-e-Shuhada, the martyrs' resting place in Srinagar's Naqshband Sahib, on Sunday to pay tributes. NC sources said Farooq's son and CM Omar would also visit the site. In Jan 2020, nearly six months after the abrogation of Article 370, UT authorities had dropped July 13 and Dec 5 from the list of public holidays in J&K. Dec 5 was observed as the birth anniversary of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Since then, the authorities have barred official functions on July 13 at Mazar-e-Shuhada, detaining politicians, including former CMs, if necessary to keep them away. Opposition PDP took potshots at NC over the restrictions. Spokesperson Naeem Akhtar remarked that 'after abrogation of Article 370, Sheikh Abdullah was deposed and Maharaja Hari Singh resurrected by BJP'. Akhtar accused NC of betraying the sacrifice of the July 13 martyrs by rejecting a PDP resolution during an assembly's session this March to declare July 13 a public holiday. 'What NC fails to realise is that their entire political legacy is built on the blood of those martyrs and those sacrifices they traded for the crumbs of power,' Akhtar said.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Before Martyrs' Day, Mirwaiz's blistering attack over ‘house arrest' — ‘fearing mention of martyrs in my sermon'
Ahead of Martyrs' Day on July 13, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was disallowed from leading Friday prayers at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid. The chief cleric of Jammu and Kashmir said he was confined to his house in a post on X. July 13 is marked as Martyrs' Day as a homage to the 22 Kashmiris who fell to the bullets of the Dogra army while protesting the rule of Maharaja Hari Singh in 1931. 'Disallowed to go to Jama Masjid today, put under house arrest, fearing the mention of the martyrs of 13th July 1931 in my Friday sermon,' the post said. Highlighting the sacrifice of the martyrs and 'all the martyrs since,' Mirwaiz said that it is 'etched in the collective memory of Kashmir and cannot not be undone by restrictions and bans'. 'No living nation can forget the supreme sacrifice of life of its martyrs against tyranny and injustice,' he said, appealing authorities to life restrictions to allow the public to peacefully pay homage and expressing a desire to the martyrs' graveyard in downtown Srinagar 'Inshallah if allowed as per our tradition, we will visit the martyrs' graveyard on July 13th after Zuhr prayers and pay homage to the revered martyrs,' he said. Earlier this week, both National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party expressed their resolve to visit the Mazar-e-Shuhada on July 13 with the former writing to the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar for permission to visit the mazar. Formerly a public holiday in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, it was scrapped by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Entry to the mazar-e-shuhada (martyr's graveyard) has also been restricted on previous occasions. Last year, leaders such as Mufti and Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone were restricted to their residences on July 13. After the Omar Abdullah government took over the reins of government in October last year, the issue of restoring the July 13 holiday was also debated in the J&K Assembly. This year, July 13 falls on Sunday.
The Print
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
J-K: Mirwaiz says he has been placed under house arrest
'Disallowed to go to Jama Masjid today, put under house arrest, fearing the mention of the martyrs of 13th July 1931 in my friday sermon!' Mirwaiz said in a post on X. Mirwaiz, who is also Kashmir's chief cleric, delivers the Friday sermon at the historic grand mosque in Nowhatta locality of the city. Srinagar, Jul 11 (PTI) Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday claimed he was put under house arrest and not allowed to offer prayers at the Jamia Masjid here. On July 13, 1931, 22 people were killed by the Dogra Army of Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir Hari Singh. Mirwaiz said, 'The sacrifice of these martyrs and all the martyrs since, is etched in the collective memory of Kashmir and cannot not be undone by restrictions and bans.' 'No living nation can forget the supreme sacrifice of life of its martyrs against tyranny and injustice,' he added. The Hurriyat chairman appealed to the authorities to 'remove the restrictions' and allow people to 'peacefully pay homage to the martyrs of 13th July'. PTI SSB DV DV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
