Srinagar: Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday said continued detention of Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a crime against all those whom he inspires at a religious level and requested the Centre and J&K administration to release him as soon as possible.
In a series of tweets, Lone, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah and LG Manoj Sinha to release Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as soon as possible, saying he himself has been a victim of violence.
“humble appeal to @ AmitShah sahib and @manojsinha_ sahib to please ensure that he is released as soon as possible. He has himself been a victim of violence. Let it be known. There r many wars in Kashmir. And in our real war he is an unapologetic moderate,” Lone said.
Lone said that they may have political differences with Mirwaiz but he inspires Kashmiris as religious head.
“Spare a thought for @MirwaizKashmir. He is under continued detention for the last four years. And none of us has talked about him. My apologies. We may differ politically but he inspires us as a religious head. A religious head who spearheaded the forces of moderation,” Lone tweeted.
He said his continued detention is a crime against those whom he inspires at a religious level. “@MirwaizKashmir has stuck to utterances which are moderate and represent the true essence of Islam. He has religious duties. His continued incarceration is a crime against him and against all those whom he inspires at a religious level,” he tweeted.
Lone is the first major mainstream leader to come out in support of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who remains under house detention since August 5, 2019.