Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today while referring to abrogation of Article 370 said “Despite making unilateral changes in 2019, the reality is that the Kashmir conflict continues to keep the region in an unsettled state that can erupt anytime”
In a hard hitting statement on the social media, Mirwaiz, who said that he was not allowed to go to the Jama Masjid in Srinagar to deliver his Friday address, wrote “Kashmiris find themselves at the receiving end of suspicion and attacks in parts of India, not much has changed for them. The trust deficit between them and New Delhi has widened, not shrunk. Enforced silence is projected as acquiescence. Wounds remain open, problems unaddressed, and an elected government of a UT complains of being powerless”, Mirwaiz said.
“A sense of hopelessness prevails, along with an existential crisis of losing one’s identity through demographic change since the state was downgraded to a Union Territory, constitutional guarantees withdrawn, and rules and laws tweaked”.
Highlighting his inherited role as a channel of lasting peace, brotherhood and reconciliation for my people and the region, Mirwaiz said “In the past, I have engaged with leadership of the subcontinent and successive Indian leaderships — including Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and L.K. Advani — in sincere efforts of dialogue. My path remains the same”.
“Is real peace possible? Yes. Kashmiris are natural optimists. Dialogue has worked elsewhere and our hope remains alive. When there is sincere willingness to engage in the spirit of “Insaniyat & Jamhooriyat”, as Vajpayee ji once said, peace gets the best chance”, he wrote.
“As another year begins and we look forward to it, painful memories of 2025 stay with us.
It was a year marked by tragedy and uncertainty. The horrific Pahalgam attack shook us deeply. Unequivocally condemned by one and all in the valley, it led to a lot of anxiety among the people as they were targeted and homes demolished. This was followed by another India–Pakistan war, and a stark reminder of how fragile peace in the region continues to be”.
“Today we are operating in an environment where any expression of views contrary to the state, or any disagreement, is increasingly criminalised, branded as “anti-national” and penalised”.
Mirwaiz said “No public space is available to us, and mediums of communication, including most local media, are not ready to provide any space for voicing expressions of people’s demands or views. I do not have the privilege of addressing press conferences. I cannot move without getting official clearance, and people cannot meet me without seeking permission. My access to the pulpit of Jama Masjid — the spiritual heart of Kashmir — is also curtailed. Even last Friday, I was placed under house arrest, and again this Friday too”.
“With Hurriyat constituents banned, all offices sealed and institutions closed, leaders and activists either in jails or under constant surveillance, social media remains the only platform that gives some voice and opportunity to connect with people and the outside world. Let me make it clear, my beliefs and convictions have not changed — not even by a comma”, Mirwaiz added.