Jamia desecration a conspiracy: Joint Hurriyat

Srinagar, Jan 4: The Joint Hurriyat leadership, along with heads of various religious groups, Friday addressed the congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid here, saying that its desecration was a “well-planned conspiracy to defame the Kashmir movement and link it to a global terror”.
The day was observed as Youm-eTaqadus (the day of sanctity) in a bid to address and condemn the issue of attempted desecration of the Grand Mosque by some masked youth, who, while carrying IS flags, shouted slogans and stood atop the pulpit with their shoes on last Friday.
The Joint Hurriyat leaders led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, and heads of various religious parties, raised their voice against the desecration of Jamia Masjid by condemning the incident and asked youth to stay away from the IS ideology.
The leadership appeals to youth “not to get swayed by it”.
“Our doors are open to our youth to come forth, join in and put forward their suggestions on taking Kashmir movement forward and strengthening it,” the Joint Hurriyat said.
In his telephonic address to the Friday congregational gathering, Geelani, who is continuously under house arrest, said the desecration of Jamia Masjid was an attempt to “defame the Kashmir’s freedom movement”.
“Various agencies are creating differences among Kashmiris on sectarian and religious lines to weaken our freedom movement. Such attempts are to link our movement to the IS,” the octogenarian Hurriyat leader said.
“Government of India won’t succeed to break our resolve. Through its media, it is trying to project that a terrorist group is connected to Kashmiris movement,” he said.
He claimed that some elements at the behest of certain agencies and handlers tried to make such attempts to desecrate the religious places.
“We have to be cautious to defeat their ill-designs,” Geelani asked.
In his address, Mirwaiz said the desecration of religious places won’t be tolerated.
“Conspiracies are being hatched to divert and weaken our movement, an indigenous one for which Kashmiris have spilled their blood,” he said.
Mirwaiz, earlier this week, had also led a rally and cleaned the pulpit of the grand mosque.
“We won’t let anybody to hijack our movement. We are fighting for self-determination.”
He said that Jamia Masjid has represented the voices of the youth and reflected their aspirations.
Mirwaiz said that youth played a significant role in “our ongoing movement”.
He said that the grand mosque has played a key role in keeping the “movement alive” and taking the cause of Kashmiris to global level.
The Hurriyat leader said Kashmir was an “internationally recognized dispute”.
“Except India, every country is saying that Kashmir is a dispute and has to be resolved peacefully,” he said.
“We have to be united to defeat the ill-designs of various elements. We will give representation to youth to contribute for the movement. Youth have to control their emotions. We have to be cautious as conspiracies are being hatched against us,” he said.
In his address, Joint Hurriyat leader and JKLF Chief, Yasin Malik stressed upon youth to stay away from IS ideology.
“Motive behind such acts only strengthens our adversary,” Malik said.
“Youth have rendered immense sacrifices for the movement. Projecting that our movement is linked to IS only suits the government of India,” he said.
He said that Hurriyat leadership was ready to listen to the concerns of youth.
“Our doors are open. They can give any of their suggestions,” Malik said.
He also asked people to stay away from the elections.
“Pro-India politicians have started election campaigns. Mehbooba Mufti has been visiting the militant families. She once said whether the children who were killed had gone to buy toffees and milk,” Malik said. “Some are active on social media asking people to vote to keep BJP or RSS away. They are equally dangerous and people should stay away from them too,” he added.
On the occasion, heads of various religious groups also addressed the gathering.