‘Mirwaiz A Victim, Not Advocate Of Violence’

Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari on Monday claimed that Mirwaiz family was the genuine representative of the people of Kashmir and that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq never encouraged violence in any form.

In an effort to rally support for his party ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Bukhari during his visit to Nowhatta, once a hotbed of militancy in Srinagar, claimed that the Mirwaiz family had been badly impacted by violence in one way or another since 1947.

“The Mirwaiz family demonstrated that violence may also have political overtones and not just about wielding a bamboo stick,” he said.

Accompanied by the party’s Srinagar Lok Sabha seat candidate Mohammad Ashraf Mir, the former minister said those preaching from the pulpit of historic Jamia Masjid could never propagate violence in any way.

Referring to late Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Yusuf Shah, the grandfather of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who went into exile in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir also referred to as ‘Azad Kashmir’, Bukhari said the late preacher was the glaring example of the violence inflicted upon the Mirwaiz family of Kashmir.

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“Instead of encouraging violence, Mirwaiz Sahab has always enlightened people about Islamic principles. How on earth could a preacher from the pulpit of a grand mosque endorse violence,” he added.

Bukhari also said those speaking truth have always been labeled as agents and traitors.

“I am here (in Nowhatta) because my party and I stood up for the truth, and anyone who speaks the truth is always branded as an agent or a traitor, just as I have been for the past four years,” he added.

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