SrinagarAuthorities finally allowed Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of Srinagar today after three weeks.
Addressing a gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid, chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq accused government of unleashing repression on people and leadership to silence them into submission.
He said Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into a police state.
Mirwaiz also took to twitter and wrote: At #JamaMasjid after 3 weeks of #HouseArrest & restrictions. People undergoing sever hardships as #Kashmir has been converted into a #PoliceState and its #PoliceRaj here as Govt is unleashing more and more repression on both the people & leadership to silence them into submission, Mirwaiz said.
Mirwaiz in his address said that curbs and restrictions do continue to be placed on our political, religious and other social activities and by use of force we are denied to discharge our political and religious responsibilities whereas rural areas of South and North Kashmir are facing forces wrath through continuous Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) during which people including elderly, women and children are kept out of their homes and shelters in these bone chilling cold days for hours together. He said in the name of anti-militancy operations, homes of common people are vandalized and property damaged as police and forces know there is no one to make them accountable.
Mirwaiz said just in the recent past, during military operations, two lactating mothers from Handwara and Shopian areas namely Misra Bano and Ruby Jan were killed leaving behind two suckling baby girls and thus snatching from these infants their motherly hugs and kisses. He said a poor innocent and unarmed taxi driver Asif Iqbal of Thundipora, Kupwara was killed by the soldiers for none of his faults.
Mirwaiz said J&K has practically been converted into a police state where police and army are running the roost. Those who claim themselves to be the rulers have failed to provide even basic amenities like electricity, drinking water etc to the population. He said in the most difficult weather conditions of the ongoing cold season there is serious shortage of electricity and drinking water besides worst condition of roads which leads to road accidents on regular basis causing death and injury to the commuters reflects complete apathy of the rulers towards people. He said that Sadak bijli and pani are not luxuries but basic necessities of life but ironically, those at the helm of affairs busy in enjoying the perks of power have failed to deliver on that.
Mirwaiz also hit out at the ruling regime for putting curbs in downtown and disallowing Friday prayers at Jama Mosque repeatedly and termed it as act of oppression and vendetta against the innocent people of downtown for their unflinching support for the movement. He said, however, these curbs were not going to break their resolve.
Mirwaiz also termed the recent announcement of social media gag on government employees a defeat of the rulers stating that claims of democracy stand punctured through this autocratic diktat.
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