SANA

PULWAMA (SANA): The chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said efforts were on to forge unity among the liberation leadership. He added that to strengthen the ongoing movement the conglomerate had decided to elect representatives from every area of the Valley.

“We are one; our goal is one and our voices are one. I have been working for unification and I will continue to do so,” Mirwaiz said while addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid in this south Kashmir town.

He said that Hurriyat would ask people from every mohalla to choose their representatives so that every individual of the Valley becomes part of the struggle. “The leadership has realized that it has to reach out to the people. Electing representatives is the first step in this direction,” he said.

Mirwaiz said the conglomerate would constitute district committees across the Valley to provide an interactive platform between the leadership and the masses. “Representatives elected by the people will lead the struggle in their respective areas. We will evolve a parallel system to counter the so called MLAs who claim to represent the people,” he said. “Kashmir struggle has reached the stage where the masses and the leadership need to stand united. We know people will show a strong resolve and support the movement at this crucial juncture.”

Mirwaiz reiterated that if the newly formed Congress led United Progressive Alliance in New Delhi didn’t start dialogue with the Kashmiri leadership by July 13 Hurriyat would launch a Valley wide agitation. “We stand by our word and New Delhi won’t be able to stop us then,” he added.

He said the people must not forget the sacrifices rendered by one lakh people. “Martyrs didn’t lay down their lives for development. We have to carry forward their mission and achieve our long cherished goal of freedom,” he said.

Referring to last year’s land agitation and subsequent elections, he said, “People protested in lakhs and then at the end they voted in huge numbers. This unpredictability has to go,” he said.

Calling upon people to act against social evils, he said, New Delhi was trying to encourage immorality in Kashmiri society. “Certain elements have been inculcated in our society to misguide our youth. But we have to make sure that such elements don’t succeed in their nefarious designs,” he said. “We have been fighting for a better future, but if we allow social evils to rise out future will be bleak.”

He said every individual had to understand his responsibilities towards the society and act against the social evils at his own level. “Political, religious and social issues are one and they needed to be addressed by every individual. We shouldn’t view religion and politics as separate issues. Our movement is both political and religious,” he added.

After the prayers, Mirwaiz led a procession from Jamia Masjid to Martyrs graveyard. Later Mirwaiz, along with other Hurriyat activists, went to the residence of Shafat Ahmad at Kadalbal Pampore who died in accident on Thursday.

Among other Hurriyat activists, Shahid-ul-Islam, Abdul Rasheed Untoo and Ghulam Nabi Zaki were present on the occasion.