Srinagar, Dec 25 (KNS): Calling for immediate disbanding of the notorious Village Defence Committees (VDCs) in Jammu, Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions, Hurriyat (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said 200 murder cases stand registered against the VDCs yet the government continue to patronize them.
He said these VDCs were organized on the behest of communal elements of Jammu region with the purpose of harassing and thus cleansing this region of the Muslim population.
According to a statement issued to KNS, addressing Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, the Mirwaiz condemned the recent killings of a mother-son duo of Shamim Akhter and four-year-old Tawheed Ahmad in Kalakote Rajouri, and a political activist, Ishtiyaq Ahmad Chowdhary in Samote, Budhal at the hands of VDC members, the Mirwaiz called for immediate disbanding of VDCs.
Stating that the VDCs had not been created for the defense of the people but to suppress the Muslims of Jammu, Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal region by the government, he said VDCs had given a free hand to commit atrocities on the Muslims of the state.
Drawing comparison between VDCs and notorious renegade group Ikhwan and State Task Force of Police, which the government created in 1990s to commit atrocities on the people of Kashmir, the Hurriyat (M) Chairman said VDCs were similarly created under a well-designed ploy to commit cruelty on the Muslims of Jammu.
Terming the vesting of unbridled powers with VDCs as highly objectionable, he said although 200 cases of murders had been registered against this brute force, successive governments continued to patronize them.
Appealing the international rights bodies to use their influence on the Government of India and state government for their aggressive and suppressive policies against a particular religious community, the Mirwaiz said the situation has reached a stage where even the Muslim population, especially in Jammu region, was feeling unsafe in Jammu Kashmir, despite the state being a Muslim-majority state.
Giving assurance to the people of Jammu, Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal region, he said Kashmiri Muslims would not leave them at the mercy of the cruel communal elements and would continue to raise their voice against VDCs.
Before the Friday congregational prayers, the Mirwaiz, who is also the President of Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Srinagar and the chief of Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama, presided over the Majlis Rehmat-ul-Aalameen Seerat conference organised by Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Srinagar to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
In his presidential address, the Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, citing the Hadith (edicts) and Islamic history, said the Islamic teachings and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were a blessing not only to the Muslims but the entire mankind.
He said Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had been sent as the Last Messenger by the Almighty Allah not only for the Muslims but for the entire humanity and his life and teachings were a proof that not only as a prophet but also as the head of an Islamic state, he had set an example of justice and kindness, which would continue to be guiding principles for the mankind till the Day of Judgment.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The Mirwaiz said while the Muslims worldwide were celebrating the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Christians worldwide also were celebrating the birth anniversary of Prophet Jesus Christ (AS) and both the prophets had given a message of peace, kindness and justice.
However, he said it was unfortunate that in the entire world the message of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was being misinterpreted and presented in a wrong manner by certain elements.
Hurriyat (M) Chairman said Islam has nothing to do with terrorism or extremism in any way and people who were becoming a reason for bringing disrepute to Islam cannot be followers of this great religion.
Expressing concern, he said stereotypes were being created in the entire world about Islam to defame Muslims and to portray them as intolerant and threat to other religions.
Blaming a section of the media for portraying every Muslim as a terrorist everywhere in Europe and America despite the fact that Islam being a religion of peace and brotherhood, he said Islam teaches co-existence and non-violence and teaches not to interfere in other peoples’ religions. It gives great respect and sense of protection to minorities and non-Muslims belonging to any other religion.
Delving on the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his birth anniversary (Eid Milad-un-Nabi), the Mirwaiz while stressing that the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) lay emphasis on protecting the religious places of non-Muslims in Muslim majority countries or areas, appealed people, who are not acquainted with the holy Quran, the Hadith and who think Muslims are a threat, to study Islam in its right prospective so that they would come to know about the message of peace, equality and brotherhood given by this great religion.
The Ulemas who threw light on the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) include Prof. Riyaz-ul-Haq, Prof. Abdul Rehman War, Imam Jamia Masjid Srinagar Syed Ahmad Syed Naqshbandi, Mufti Ghulam Rasool Samoon and Moulana M S Rehman Shams while prominent Naat Khawans G M Shah, Muhammad Rafiq Adil and Moulvi Muhammad Yaseen recited naats highlighting the glory of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Meanwhile, Hurriyat (M) leader Parvez Ahmad Dar visited Pulwama where he participated in the Nimaz-e-Jinazah of Omais Ahmad Sheikh, a martyred in a gunfight with troops.
Hurriyat (M) leader while paying glowing tributes to him said it was due to these sacrifices that Kashmir issue had attracted international attention and termed these sacrifices as the real assets of the ongoing resistance movement. (KNS)