Mirwaiz urges students to keep their protests peaceful

Srinagar, Apr 27: Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday termed the use of force against student protests across Kashmir as “frustration on the part of administration and government forces” but advised the students to protest peacefully.
“It has become a policy of successive regimes in J&K to crush and choke voice of all segments of society through its military might and use of force, the student community being no exception to that,” Mirwaiz said.
Addressing Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid here, Mirwaiz said that for past many weeks, during the students’ protests against the Kathua rape and murder, they are facing the “same wrath of forces which people of Kashmir have become familiar with, whenever they are protesting injustices”.
“The response of forces on student protests is not just shameful but an act of war against the student community,” Mirwaiz said.
He advised the students to keep their protests peaceful by all means.
He added a large presence of government forces remain deployed outside the premises of colleges, schools, and universities to instill fear among students and if students protest even within the premises of these institutes they become victims of forces vengeance who shower pellets, tear gas and pava shells at them.
He condemned in strong words the use of force inside the premises of Islamic University Campus at Awantipore in which dozens of students’ sustained injuries terming the forces’ act as “state terrorism”.
He said while as students across the globe have a freedom to put forth their view points and vent their feelings through student unions and fora , Kashmir is “an exception to this rule as all means of expression are barred to the students and instead bullets pellets and tear gas shells are showered on them”.
Mirwaiz urged people to participate in the spiritual gathering of Shab-e-Baraat at Jamia Masjid on Wednesday announcing the Eisha prayers will be held at 10 pm at the Jama Masjid immediately after which he will deliver sermon on the significance of Shab-e-Baraat.