Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Monday raised sharp concerns over what he described as a growing pattern of “harassment and disempowerment” in Kashmir.
His statement came after JK administration led by Manoj Sinha, declared Darul Uloom Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom at Imam Sahib in Shopian as an unlawful entity under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), citing alleged links with banned outfit Jamaat-e-Islami. He stated that the move undermines institutions with a legacy of serving underprivileged communities.
In a statement on X, Mirwaiz alleged that multiple government agencies were “chasing citizens under one pretext or another,” while properties belonging to locals were being confiscated. He also criticised the use of stringent laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) against students protesting alleged misconduct, claiming that many were being detained and transferred to jails outside the region, adversely affecting their futures.
The Mirwaiz further pointed to what he termed as selective denial of legal relief, citing a recent case where a sitting Member of Parliament was allegedly denied bail to visit his critically ill father.
Questioning the current approach, he asked the administration led by the Lieutenant Governor to clarify how long such policies would continue. He also called on the elected government to explain its stance, asking how long it would “allow this to happen.”
There has been no immediate official response from authorities regarding the remarks.
