Srinagar: The chairman of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday took a conciliatory note, appealing to the Centre to close the “dil ki doori” (gap between hearts) with Jammu and Kashmir by talking to them and stating that the problems of the state cannot be solved through violence.
Speaking before a Friday congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid, the Mirwaiz also welcomed the collective response of the three Members of Parliament (MPs) from Kashmir during a recent parliamentary debate.
“There was a discussion on the India-Pakistan war in Parliament following the barbaric Pahalgam attack,” the Mirwaiz said, referring to a recent terrorist attack.
“Very few MPs, and mostly in the opposition, talked of the human aspect of the war… which reflects the mindset and mood of the times.”
He underscored that the three J-K MPs, — Mian Altaf, Sheikh Abdul Rashid and Aga Ruhullah — were the sole members who expressed the “deep concerns and plight of the people at the epicentre of the basic problem”.
He quoted their emotional comments on the “disempowerment and dispossession of the people of J-K”, adding they were uttering words that the separatist movement led by him has sought to voice for long.
“It’s great to know that on these issues, everyone is on the same page,” he said.
The Mirwaiz said he can only hope that what the three MPs said was heard by those in power in New Delhi, “and if they really want to lessen ‘dil ki doori’, they must pay heed to it”.
“I have always believed that neither war nor violence nor use of force can solve problems and lead to peace and prosperity, which the billions of people in the Indian subcontinent seek, and the swathes of poor in this region deserve. Engagement at all levels is a far cheaper and evolved alternative,” he said.
The Mirwaiz’s statement is seen as a sign of reconciliation by analysts, coming at a time when many moderate Hurriyat members have been banned under the UAPA or have left the conglomerate.
His own Awami Action Committee has been banned under the stringent Act by the Centre.
