Conflict

Mirwaiz lashes out at Indian media for launching a ‘tirade of defamatory broadcasts’

Srinagar: All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman (APHC) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who was barred from holding a press conference on Saturday took to social media and said that Government of India and Indian media have embarked on a consistent policy of playing intricate mind games with all those who consider rational that Kashmir is a dispute requiring resolution.

Mirwaiz in his virtual address took said that the first step in this direction is the ‘ploy’ to reduce the Kashmiri Political leadership in their scope and stature to play any role in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

“For that the NIA has been roped in to frame the pro-freedom leadership through fabricated charges into a legal tangle. The India media is being utilized to facilitate that process further through a sustained and vicious campaign of spreading lies about the pro-freedom leadership and distorting facts.”

He added, “In this regard a New Delhi based media channel has since yesterday crossed all limits and launched a tirade of defamatory broadcasts with a tendentious motive to defame me both as the religious head of the Muslim community in J&K and as an independent head of a political party with a definite political ideology. Even members of my family are being dragged into this vortex of lies and preposterous allegations, which is extremely deplorable to say the least.”

Mirwaiz refuted all charges against him that he has amassed wealth by constructing shops in the Jamia Masjid area and misappropriate use of the Auqaf trusts.

“I refute all defamatory allegations that I have amassed illegal wealth or made aggrandizement by constructing shops in Jamia Masjid area or misappropriated through the agencies of Auqaf Trusts any financial resources as attributed by the Indian media. To tarnish my image, false, malicious and virulent propaganda imputing dishonest and underhand dealings to me is being deliberately spread.”

He added, “In 1970, Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid was formed by my late father with a view to restore the mosque to its glory. It was decided that public donations were not enough for this purpose. To meet the needful resources around 200 shops were built in the vicinity of the mosque the rental income from which would sustain the maintenance and upkeep of the mosque.”

He further added, “Anybody can check the records as it is absolutely transparent. To suggest that any money from the Auqaf is being used by my person or to support stone pelting or damaging schools is most ridiculous!”

He also lashed out for involving his relatives settled in Pakistan for bringing in ‘bags full of money’.

“As for involving my family members who are settled outside is concerned, they like other Kashmiris settled outside are hard working people earning an honest living. To associate them with managing my imaginary real estate businesses is highly condemnable and invites strong legal action against the channel,” Mirwaiz asserted.

He further pointed out, “As you all are aware, half of my family was exiled to Pakistan at the time of the partition. It is but natural that family members will visit to meet each other especially when marriages within the family have taken place. To accuse family members visiting relations in Pakistan of getting bag full of funds from there is both absurd and laughable.”

Mirwaiz said that his source of income is the rent which comes from six shops he built in Lal Bazaar area in 1992. Other than that whatever he gets as gifts and cash from Nikah ceremonies and religious ceremonies adds to his income.

“As for my assets and income, I live in a house built by my father in 1978 with my mother. My father in 1980 had built a line of 17 shops in Rajouri kadal. A building atop the shops was rented out by him to the J&K bank. Rentals from both the bank and the shops is shared by his children after his death in 1990. In 1992, I built six shops in lal bazaar area the rentals from which go to my bank account, “he said.

“My other source of income is earnings through Nikah ceremonies which I preside over and through Waaz and Tabligh Majlis where I deliver religious sermons and through gifts I receive in cash and kind from my Murids (followers). I have no other source of income or properties other than what I have mentioned, anywhere in the world,” he added.

Mirwaiz also maintained that he won’t press any defamatory charges against the particular channel as he finds it below his dignity.

“The media should realize that atrocious lies will only lead to denigration of the Indian media. I have full faith in my own probity and in the trust of my people in me as I am only accountable to them and I consider it beneath my dignity to even issue a defamatory notice to the channel,” Mirwaiz said.

He added, “The Indian media is considered by the people not only in Kashmir but in the entire subcontinent as a TRP hunting corporate commercial enterprise that has now also become a propaganda tool of the ruling political class.”

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