Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Urges Authorities to Move Beyond Security Lens and Adopt Human-Centric Approach

Srinagar, Nov 14, KNT: Delivering the Friday sermon at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq said the recent bomb blast in New Delhi, which left 13 people dead and many grievously injured, was a deeply painful and shocking incident. He said such acts of violence cause immense suffering and strongly condemned the attack.

Mirwaiz said it was unfortunate that tragedies of this nature are frequently used to stoke narratives that target particular communities even before facts are established. He said media-driven speculation based on unverified “inside sources” often contributes to an atmosphere where Kashmiri students and youth living outside the Valley become vulnerable. “Our youth studying and working across India overnight become suspects, fearing for their safety, while it creates anxiety among people here,” he said.

Reiterating his long-standing position, Mirwaiz said he and the political and religious organisations he represents have always condemned violence, adding that the people of Kashmir empathise with victims of such attacks because they themselves have lived through decades of pain. “No cause can justify what happened in Delhi. No religion can permit it,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of dialogue, he said talking and listening with respect remains the best way to resolve issues and bridge divides. Mirwaiz added that the pulpit of Jama Masjid places upon him the responsibility to speak for the people, who he said continue to feel distressed and disempowered.

He said the situation worsened after August 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded to a Union Territory, its autonomy removed, and land and job protections withdrawn. “People immediately felt vulnerable. The fear of demographic change, curbs on expression, constant surveillance, arbitrary dismissals from service, attachment of land and properties, raids and arrests by agencies, and rising unemployment have together deepened hopelessness and resentment,” he said.

Mirwaiz urged authorities to rethink their approach to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the region cannot be viewed solely through the lens of security and law and order. Quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said that solutions must come from the “dayira of insaniyat and jamhooriyat.” [KNT]