Daily Times

Hurriyat leaders and organizations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), have strongly denounced use of brutal force on Muharram mourners in Srinagar, terming it interference in the religious affairs of the Muslims.

According to Kashmir Media Service, several mourners were injured when the Indian police subjected the participants of a Muharram procession to teargas shelling, pellet firing and lathi-charge in Jahangir Chowk area of Srinagar on Tuesday. The police also arrested dozens of mourners on the occasion. People raised slogans like, “We Want Freedom” and “Free Kashmir” during the 8th Muharram processions in IIOJK on Tuesday.

Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman Shari Shian leader, Agha Syed Mujtaba Al-Moosvi, in a statement, strongly denounced the police action on the mourners. He said the Battle of Karbala teaches us the lesson of resistance against oppression and occupation and sympathy with the oppressed. The Chairman of Islamic Political Party, Mohammed Yousf Naqash, in a statement issued in Srinagar said use of lethal force against the unarmed mourners speaks volumes about Islamophobia in India. He said Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government is resorting to coercive tactics to impose Hindutva ideology in IIOJK.

Yousuf Naqash said the brutal violence on the Muharram procession is a reflection of India’s philosophy that no minority in general and Muslims in particular were allowed to act against the principles laid down by Hindutva. He appealed the Kashmiri people to come out of their homes raise their voice against the Indian oppression and violence in the occupied territory.

Hurriyat leader, Javaid Ahmed Mir, in a statement in Srinagar said India has deprived the Kashmiris of all freedoms including religious freedom. He said the world community must come forward to save the Kashmiri Muslims from Hindu fascism. It is to mention here that fearing eruption of anti-India and pro-freedom sentiments, India continues to ban the main Muharram processions in IIOJK since 1989. Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government is not allowing the Muslims of IIOJK to perform their religious obligations particularly since August 05, 2019 when it repealed the special status of the territory and put it under military siege.

It frequently restricted offering of Juma prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid and other major mosques of the territory. People are disallowed to hold Eid prayers and take out Eid Milad-UN-Nabi (SAW) and Muharram processions.

Kashmir Council Europe: The Chairman of Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU), Ali Raza Syed has paid rich tributes to Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and his great companions who laid down their lives at the battleground of Karbala

Ali Raza Syed in a statement issued in connection with the Day of Ashura, said Karbala is a message of freedom for whole humanity particularly all the freedom lovers. He said the sacrifices offered by Imam Hussain (AS) in the Karbala will remain as an example for the all those who believe in freedom.

The KCEU Chairman also condemned the constant curfew and siege of the oppressed people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and brutal actions committed by the Indian forces against these unarmed people for last several decades particularly since 05 August 2019 when special status of IIOJK was revoked by Indian government.

“All the pro-freedom leaders and activists of Kashmir engaged in a peaceful struggle to liberate their land from Indian occupation have profoundly learned the lesson from the message of Karbala. In that battle, Imam Hussain (AS) got victory despite of his few followers and small quantity of arms. Yazeed was defeated despite of thousands of forces and a huge quantity of latest weapons of that time,”

Ali Raza Syed said. Indian authorities cannot suppress the Kashmir freedom movement which has been nourished by the Kashmiri people with their blood and one day, the Kashmiris will achieve freedom the Indian yoke, he said. The martyrs of Karbala have set an example for us to get united and struggle for the noble cause of Kashmir, he said, adding that Karbala was a battle between the truth and falsehood in which the truth prevailed and falsehood faced defeat.

The KCEU Chairman said Kashmiris’ freedom struggle will continue and Jammu and Kashmir will be free from the Indian occupation soon.