NC on house arrest: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday (July 27) demanded the release of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from house arrest, branding him a “religious leader”.
Abdullah also welcomed the government’s decision to allow the Muharram procession on the traditional route through Lal Chowk after over three decades.
"We welcome this decision. At the same time, we hope that the government takes other steps as well. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a religious leader and he should be released. Prayers should be allowed at Jamia Masjid without any curbs and Red prayer should be allowed at Eidgah," Abdullah said.
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz, also the chief priest of Kashmir, has been under house arrest since August 4, 2019 – a day ahead of the Centre's move to abrogate Article 370.
Abdullah had to walk from his residence on Gupkar road to his office at Nawa-i-Subah due to massive traffic snarls in the city caused by the early morning Muharram procession.
"I thought it better to walk to the office as the presence of my security vehicles would have caused more inconvenience to the people," he said.
Abdullah slams BJP over J-K elections
When asked about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir which are due since the abrogation of Article 370, the NC leader claimed that the BJP was scared of facing the people of the Union Territory.
“Election commission has itself said that there is a vacuum in Jammu and Kashmir which needs to be filled,” he said.
The former chief minister said that they have suggested to the government to hold the Assembly polls along with the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“We told them if you cannot hold Assembly polls separately, then hold the polls together with Lok Sabha elections," he said.
(With agencies input)
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