SRINAGAR: Two days after J&K authorities reportedly released the chairman of the moderate faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, from house detention, APHC on Friday said their leader continues to be under house arrest notwithstanding the announcement.
Mirwaiz, like many other J&K politicians, was put under house arrest in August 2019 when the Centre scrapped the special status of the erstwhile state.
Issuing a statement, APHC said: “Government authorities went back on their decision… Late last (Thursday) night, police officials visited the Mirwaiz’s residence (at Nigeen in Srinagar’s Hazratbal area) to convey to him that he continues to be under house arrest, and will not be allowed to go to Jamia Masjid for Friday prayers and Majlis waz-o-tableeg.”
Later, talking to TOI, Mirwaiz said: “Authorities deployed additional forces outside my house on Friday morning to prevent me from going to Jamia Masjid for Friday sermons.”
He described the action of the government as unwarranted and dictatorial as initially he was given to understand that he would be released and later was prevented from moving outside his house.
“Recently, the minister of state for home affairs had categorically stated in Parliament that no one in J&K is under house arrest. If that is so, why does the Mirwaiz continue to be detained,” Hurriyat asked in its statement.
It said that this “imperious decision” of the authorities has hurt the sentiments of people and further aggrieved them “as they were eagerly awaiting the Mirwaiz’s release from arbitrary house arrest”.
Meanwhile, several people were injured in sporadic incidents of stone pelting around Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta after Friday prayers. Police had to resort to cane charge and even used teargas shells to disperse the mob, reports said.