Mirwaiz was put under house arrest on August 5, 2019 (File)
Kashmiri separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, released today from house arrest after four years, delivered his first sermon at Srinagar's historic Jamia Masjid and batted for peace in Kashmir. Mirwaiz, chief priest of Jamia Masjid, is the chairman of Hurriyat Conference, a grouping of Kashmiri separatist factions.
"I have always worked for peace, non-violence and wanted resolution of issues through peaceful means so that there is no loss of any life. By following this path, we suffered which is well known to everyone," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, whose father and uncle were killed by terrorists.
"Unfortunately, very unfortunately we were branded as separatists, enemies of the country, anti-peace and what not," he said.
The Mirwaiz said that he had no axe to grind and has no personal ambition. "We only want peaceful settlement of issue," he said.
He also called for return of Kashmiri pandits.
"Pandit return is a humanitarian issue. It should not be projected as political issue," he said.
Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, both former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, are among political leaders and groups who have welcomed his release.
BJP's national executive member Darakhshan Andrabi congratulated him and said "no political party has a copyright for any religious personality". She is also the chairperson of J&K Waqf Board which has a Minister of State (MoS) status in the Union Territory.
Mirwaiz was put under house arrest on August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, and stripped the region of its statehood.
Thousands of other political leaders and workers were also detained and jailed as part of a massive clampdown in wake of the 2019 move.
Jamia Masjid, the biggest cultural and religious centre in the Valley, was also closed. It reopened for regular prayers only in February, 2022. But Mirwaiz remained under house arrest and was not allowed to lead prayers at the mosque.
Mirwaiz is considered as moderate separatist voice who had engaged with the centre during Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments.
The decision to release him and lead Friday prayers indicates a softening approach by the centre following a heavy clampdown on Kashmiri separatists and critics of government decision since 2019.
Recently, two religious clerics jailed for fuelling separatism were released and welcomed by the local BJP leaders in Kashmir.
Jamia Masjid has seen a big drop in visitors since it reopened after a long closure in 2022. It can accommodate around 50,000 people with additional space in its lawns and nearby areas during religious congregations.