Friday prayers: Mirwaiz Farooq threatens to defy restrictions

MIRWAIZ CRITICISES GOVERNMENT FOR NOT ALLOWING FRIDAY PRAYERS FOR 15 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS AT JAMIA MASJID

SRINAGAR: Top separatist leader and chairperson of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday criticised the government for not allowing Friday congregational prayers for 15 consecutive weeks at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid. He announced that coming Friday, he will break the restrictions and offer prayers at the grand mosque.

Mirwaiz was addressing a press conference at his Nigeen residence in Srinagar. He was shifted from sub-jail Chashma Shahi to his residence where he was placed under house arrest on Monday evening. He was lodged in Chashma Shahi since August 26.

“Even if the situation is grave, yet it is not hopeless. We have achieved moral victory and it gives us strength. The people with their determination kept the struggle going,” Mirwaiz said. He alleged that the Indian government has set aside every moral, democratic and human norms, and committed atrocities on Kashmiris but they could not shake the determination of Kashmiris.

Mirwaiz also criticised state’s mainstream political parties, including PDP and BJP, calling them “handles of government’s axe” and said these parties “just want to sit on the chair” and have “sold their conscience”.