Hurriyat chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference chairman and MLA Sajad Lone were allegedly placed under house arrest on Thursday.
The restrictions coincided with the death anniversaries of their fathers —Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone. Gani Lone was shot dead by militants on May 21, 2002, at Eidgah in Srinagar, while Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq was assassinated on May 21, 1990.
Mirwaiz termed May 21 as one of the “darkest days” in Kashmir’s history, recalling the killings of his father Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Gani Lone.
Kashmir’s chief cleric said the day reminds Kashmiris of the loss of “their voice” with the assassination of Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq and the subsequent Hawal massacre in which over 70 mourners were killed and hundreds injured. He said years later, on the same day, another “sane voice” was silenced with the killing of Abdul Gani Lone.
“It is unfortunate and condemnable that through Intimidation, might and media gags the state prevented people from expressing their sentiments and paying tributes to their beloved leaders and the Martyrs of Hawal. Today even individually people are disallowed from going to Mazar-e-shuhada Eidgah to offer Fatiha prayers, while I am under house arrest since yesterday evening. Repressive tactics will not change reality nor erase the contribution of these beloved leaders and their place in people’s heart,” Mirwaiz said on X.
Earlier, the day People’s Conference claimed that its President Sajad Lone was placed under house arrest on the death anniversary of his father.
In a statement, the party condemned the action and termed it “unfortunate and undemocratic”.
“Preventing the President of JKPC and MLA Handwara from paying tribute to his martyred father is unfortunate and undemocratic. Such actions hurt public sentiments and weaken democratic values,” JKPC said in the statement.
There was no immediate reaction from the authorities on these house arrests.
For years, shutdowns were observed across the Valley on May 21 to mark the anniversaries of the two leaders. However, no shutdown call has been issued in recent years.
