NIA summons to Mirwaiz political vendetta: Hurriyat

Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, March 13

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday termed the National Investigation Agency summons to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq a “political vendetta”. It said the amalgam chairman was “himself a victim of violence” and said “accusing him of terror funding is ridiculous”.

Reading out a written statement during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the Rajbagh headquarters of the Hurriyat, senior separatist leader and former All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said the Hurriyat was democratic in essence and did not believe in violence in any form or manifestation, let alone terror funding. Bhat, flanked by separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone, said Mirwaiz represented an office “which is so sacred” that interference with his position in any form was likely to “inflict a deep wound” on the “collective political consciousness” of Kashmir.

Bhat said the Hurriyat had “under intriguing circumstances passed through thick and thin”. He said Mirwaiz himself had been a “victim of violence” and “no victim, in any case, would like to accept money for such a heinous act.” He recounted how in June 2004 Mirwaiz’s uncle was killed, his house bombed, and Islamia school burnt when the Hurriyat under his chairmanship “led the dialogue in 2004 and 2005 despite tremendous bloodshed and sacrifice”.

‘We are a democratic outfit’

Senior separatist leader Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said the Hurriyat was democratic in essence and did not believe in violence in any form or manifestation, let alone terror funding. Bhat said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq represented an office “which is so sacred” that interference with his position in any form was likely to “inflict a deep wound” on the “collective political consciousness” of Kashmir