Hurriyat (M) condemns disallowing of Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid

Srinagar, July 6: Hurriyat Conference (M) has strongly condemned the authorities’ decision of placing amalgam chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house detention, imposing curbs in downtown Srinagar and disallowing the congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jama Masjid and termed it as an “open aggression”. A Hurriyat spokesperson in a statement said these tactics amount to muzzling the genuine voices on the basis of military might, adding, that today it was 9th Friday this year that devotees were not allowed to offer prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid. While strongly condemning the “repressive” measures taken by the present dispensation, he said that all the basic principles of democracy are being thrown out to wind as people’s religious, social and political rights are crushed under the military might and there is no space left for the freedom of religion or freedom of expression. Meanwhile, the spokesperson has strongly condemned the shifting of Dukhtaran-e-Milat chief Asiya Andrabi and two of her close aides Fahmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen to New Delhi after being summoned by the NIA sleuths. “These measures are a mere political vendetta against the resistance leadership,” he said adding such pressure tactics have failed in the past and are destined to fail in future as well. The spokesperson said that “ultimate repression being unleashed by the government forces against the resistance leaders and the people of Kashmir can neither silence the voices of freedom nor break the resolve and commitment of people of Kashmir towards the movement”. It said that Kashmir issue is well-acknowledged fact by the world community and its resolution is highly inevitable as it guarantees the peace in the subcontinent and South Asia. He strongly condemned the house detention of Syed Ali Geelani and arresting JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik and conducting raids at the houses of scores of resistance leaders, activists and youth across Kashmir, especially south Kashmir terming it as “utter frustration” on part of the present administration.