People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Thursday threw his weight behind the Hurriyat Conference demand for release of the head of the separatist amalgam, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has completed three years of house detention.
People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq ‘inspires us a a religious head’ though he differs from him politically.
People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Thursday threw his weight behind the Hurriyat Conference demand for release of the head of the separatist amalgam, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has completed three years of house detention.
"Spare a thought for Mirwaiz Kashmir. He is under continued detention for the last four years. And none of us has talked about him. My apologies," Lone said.
In a series of tweets, the separatist-turned-mainstream leader appealed Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to release the Mirwaiz at the earliest.
"Humble appeal to Amit Shah sahib and Manoj sinha sahib to please ensure that he is released as soon as possible. He has himself been a victim of violence.
"Let it be known. There are many wars in Kashmir. And in our real war he is an unapologetic moderate," Lone said.
The former minister said while he may differ politically with the Mirwaiz, the separatist leader "inspires us as a religious head."
"A religious head who spearheaded the forces of moderation. Mirwaiz Kashmir has stuck to utterances which are moderate and represent the true essence of Islam. He has religious duties. His continued incarceration is a crime against him and against all those whom he inspires at a religious level," Lone added.
Hurriyat Conference, in a statement, condemned the "arbitrary, despotic and extra judicial act" of the authorities of forcibly detaining its chairman in his house, leading to "gross violation of all his fundamental and basic human rights".
"All channels of communication are blocked to him and all outreach to people friends and party cadre, barred," it said.
APHC in a statement said that it’s chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today completed three years of continuous house detention under which the authorities placed him on 4th of August 2019 , when J&K was downgraded to a UT of India and its special status revoked.
"We appeal to Government of India to release all Kashmiri political prisoners unconditionally including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and resume the process of conflict resolution through peaceful means , which is dialogue," it added.
(With PTI inputs)