Srinagar: 13 July 1931 martyrs are the torch bearers of Jammu and Kashmir’s struggle for “self determination”, chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said before his arrest on Friday.
Defying house arrest to pay tribute to martyrs of 13 July 1931 Mirwaiz was arrested by police outside his Nigeen residence.
Speaking to the media prior to arrest Mirwaiz said that in keeping with the tradition of paying floral tributes to these martyrs who are among the first to lay down their lives in Kashmiris struggle for liberation from tyrannical foreign control, a precedent set since the time of his father Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq , he was moving towards the martyrs graveyard but was forcibly stopped.
“These martyrs are the torch bearers of our struggle for self determination who set the precedent to stand up to repression and fight for our fundamental right, the right to be masters of our destiny.”
He said tremendous sacrifices of life have been made since then and lakhs of Kashmiris have been martyred and continue to be killed for the fulfillment of this quest.
Mirwaiz said undoubtedly it is an uphill task that the brave people of the nation have undertaken but “to break the yoke of subjugation and achieve freedom is the dream of every nation which is worth all the struggle and sacrifice being offered.”
Mirwaiz welcomed the statement of UN chief Antonio Guttres backing Zaids call for international investigation into human rights situation in Kashmir calling it the “voice of the UN”. Mirwaiz said instead of calling the UN report biased and fallacious Government of India should understand that it cannot forever cloak the gravest human rights abuses being perpetuated here by their forces from the eyes of the world. “Truth always comes out and no amount of denial or propaganda can change that fact.”
Mirwaiz said that human rights abuses are a consequence of forcible control, when armed forces are pitched against rebelling civilians. He said once Government of India accepts that Kashmir dispute cannot be addressed militarily, “all this will change and peace can return to the subcontinent and all of us can be rid of accusing and defending charges.”
Mirwaiz urged Government of India to give up its obduracy and resolve the Kashmir dispute in the spirit of democracy and give people the right to self determination.
Mirwaiz also criticized the ruling dispensation for barring people from offering prayers at Jamia Masjid for the 10th week this year and other Masjids in downtown Srinagar by enforcing curfew and restrictions.
