Hold dialogue over J&K issues: Hurriyat chairman to Centre

Hurriyat Conference chairman and chief priest of Jamia Masjid Srinagar Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) would not solve the Kashmir issue and urged the central government to start a dialogue to address the matter, while Hurriyat was ready to assist in the endeavour.

Mirwaiz, who was allowed to deliver his sermon at Jamia Masjid during Friday prayers after his month long house arrest since September 2, said the elections were no solution to the J&K issue and the issue stands even after the unilateral decisions taken in 2019.

“Hurriyat Conference always maintained that we are not against elections but we are against presenting the elections as a solution to the Kashmir issue. Elections can be for roads, power and water but can’t resolve Kashmir dispute. These are two separate issues. One is civic issues and the other is resolution oriented,” he said from the pulpit of Jamia Masjid in old city Srinagar.

“We agree elections were held and people voted but for what this voting was. There were unilateral measures you took after 2019 in J&K , the way Kashmiris were humiliated and people are fearful in matters of land, jobs and civic issues,” he said.

Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 was revoked in August 2019 by the parliament and the region splintered into two union territories. The region’s first assembly election in 10 years was held in three phases from September 18 to October 01 with 63.9% people coming out to vote.

‘Hurriyat has always advocated for peaceful resolution’

Mirwaiz said Hurriyat has always advocated for peaceful resolution of the J&K issue and they don’t want war or disputes. “We don’t want our youth to pick up guns. We don’t want our youth to get consumed in this conflict- generation after generation. Till, what time this conflict should continue? I want to convey to the Indian government that unilateral decision taken by you and then saying the issue has been resolved is not based on facts. The issue stands. That is why I and my colleagues in Hurriyat say repeatedly that only one way to solve this issue is through dialogue,” he said.

Giving the example of conflict in Middle East and how it is consuming the region, Mirwaiz said they don’t want such a situation in this region. “We are happy that the borders are silent between the two countries (India and Pakistan) owing to ceasefire. But, what if, things again turn and there will again be clouds of war here,” he said.

“That is why I want to tell Indian leadership, particularly the BJP government, they should adopt a pragmatic approach and accept this thing that they need to find a solution to this issue and indulge in dialogue,” he said.

Mirwaiz said there was already the previous framework of dialogue. “When we talked with then PMs Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji and Manmohan Singh ji and then home minister L.K Advani and tried to find out how the issue could be resolved or the forward movement. There is a need to revisit that understanding and approach, if the government really wants to solve this issue,” he said.

He said Hurriyat leadership and him have always talked about peaceful resolution of J&K. “We have always talked about the issues be resolved through dialogue. But our assertions are always ignored. Hurriyat conference is a representative platform of people,” he said.

“I want to repeat that Hurriyat Conference’s ideology and resolution is that this issue will have to be resolved by coming on the table, through dialogue and not by violence, power or gun. For that this forum will keep on raising its voice,” he said.

Mirwaiz said he will keep on raising the issue even if he is jailed. “The people sitting in positions of power, whether they like my words or not, or they put me in jail and lock this mosque but we will keep on talking about justice. We are not anybody’s enemy. There can be difference of opinion but not enmity. We won’t budge…,” he said.

Mirwaiz acknowledged that Hurriyat Conference was in disarray after 2019. “This is true that after the onslaught following 2019 on the leadership here, they were put in jails under PSA and UAPA. Our offices were closed and workers were harassed. Political activities were stopped. This is true that at the organisation level, Hurriyat structure is shattered but I tell you with confidence, Hurriyat still represents the aspirations of the people,” he said.

“I want to remind that organisations came into existence and splintered in the past as well but the ‘movement’ kept on going,” he said.

He claimed that India internationalised the J&K issue with the involvement of China after 2019 changes.

“ As long as a part of J&K is in India , a part of it in Pakistan and some part of it is with china , especially post 2019 - Indian government has internationalised this issue. We have repeatedly said that J&K issue is a humanitarian issue where people are divided by borders,” he said.

He also said they have to also work on the return of Kashmiri pandits. “We also talk about the return of Pandit brothers. We have repeatedly said from this pulpit, their return is also a humanitarian issue. And we have to bring them back as well,” he said.

He took a jibe at the regional mainstream political parties for not being able to unite even after 2019 changes.

“It is unfortunate that at this crucial juncture the regional political organisations and individuals, despite realising that after 2019 we have no rights, and who contested could not come together and jointly fight for the great challenges before people,” he said.

“I hope that after the election results, these political parties and individuals will rise to the occasion and collectively prioritise people’s interest and safeguarding of their rights, rather than personal and party interests,” he added.