Proposed Waqf Amendment Bill an attack on the identity of Muslims: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
New Delhi: Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed grave concern over the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, calling it an attack on the identity of Muslims in India and in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in an interview with a news channel in New Delhi, stated that he was in India to meet with various religious figures, intellectuals, human rights activists, lawyers, and politicians regarding the controversial bill. He urged Indian lawmakers not to pass the bill, which he believes undermines the interests and identity of Muslims.
Mirwaiz also condemned the Indian government’s unilateral and illegal abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. He strongly criticized the continued illegal detention of thousands of Kashmiri political leaders, human rights activists, religious figures, and members of civil society in various Indian jails.
He called on Indian civil society and lawyers to raise their voices for the people of IIOJK, stressing the need for comprehensive dialogue between India, Pakistan, and Kashmiri leadership for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. He added that dialogue is the only path forward to resolve conflicts and ensure lasting peace in the territory.
Furthermore, Mirwaiz highlighted the severe restrictions on media in IIOJK, pointing out the challenges faced by Kashmiri journalists. He criticized the Indian media for spreading misleading propaganda about the situation in Kashmir and the Kashmiri leadership, urging them to play a more responsible role in highlighting the plight of Muslims in India and Kashmir. He called for Indian media to responsibly report the truth and raise awareness about the conditions of Muslims in the disputed territory.