JRL condemns restrictions in Srinagar areas

Srinagar: Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik strongly condemned the government’s decision of once again caging the entire resistance leadership and imposing curbs in downtown Srinagar, barring Muslims from offering mandatory Friday payers at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar and turning entire South Kashmir into a military fortress.
In a statement issued here on Friday, JRL said that “while our youth are being brutally massacred no voice is allowed to be raised against this planned genocide.”
The leadership said that even funeral prayers in absentia are not allowed as leadership had said that they will be offered for the five armed youth and seven civilians killed by forces last week in Shopian and Srinagar.
They said that the more repressive measures GoI and its local supporters in Kashmir would employ to force the resistance camp and the people of Kashmir into submission, the stronger would be the resolve to fight back for freedom from forcible rule.
The leadership said that “the disproportionate war being fought against the people of Kashmir by the ruling BJP regime at the Centre to push the people of Kashmir to the wall and break our resolve will never succeed as people are fighting for securing the inalienable right to determine our future guaranteed by the world’s highest body—the United Nations Security Council.”
He said that people have faced Delhi’s ruthless military might since past three decades with steadfastness and commitment towards the final goal.
Responding to the recent statement of Indian Army Chief that Azadi was not possible as youth can’t fight Army, as an admission that no holds barred military force would continue to be used by the state to repress people and commit grave human rights violation upon them.
The leadership said the Army chief must realize that banking of military might won’t fetch the desired result of conquering Kashmir. “Kashmir is a political and human issue of more than ten million people who are asking for genuine rights,” they said.
The leadership said that in almost all the Masjids, shrines and Imam Baras across Kashmir where there were no restrictions, a resolution framed by the JRL that condemned the killing of 13 people in Shopian and Srinagar and blinding and maiming of scores of innocent youth with deadly pellets and lethal shells, terming it as the worst form of state repression was adopted and unanimously passed.
“The people across Kashmir also expressed their condolence to all those martyred by the government forces last week and took a pledge to remain steadfast towards the movement,” the statement added.
The resolution was passed at Jamia Masjid Hyderpora where Bashir Ahmed Qureshi represented Syed Ali Geelani, at Masjid Shareef Lal Bazar by Muhammad Shafi Khan on behalf of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and at Masjid-d-Shareef Maisuma by Sheikh Abdur Rashid on behalf of Muhammad Yasin Malik where funeral prayers in absentia were also offered for the recent matyrs.
The speakers while speaking on the occasion expressed their heartfelt condolence to the families of martyrs and condemned the government action of caging the resistance leadership in jails and homes.
Meanwhile, a JRL spokesman condemned the continuous house detention of Syed Ali Geelani, detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq just after few hours of freedom, and confinement of Muhammad Yasin Malik in Kothibagh police station, terming it as ‘revenge’.
The spokesman also castigated the government for not allowing Friday prayers at various mosques.