After Mirwaiz Umar Farooq removed his 'Chairman' title from social media, citing pressure from authorities, National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq has urged the Indian government to re-examine the matter, highlighting Mirwaiz's respected status.
NC MLA Urges Re-examination of Pressure
After Mirwaiz Umar Farooq took down the "Chairman" designation from his social media accounts, National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq on Friday appealed to the Government of India and concerned authorities, saying that if a respected leader like Mirwaiz claims he has been pressurised, the matter should be re-examined.
Speaking to ANI, Tanvir Sadiq said, "He is a religious scholar. He is widely respected not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also countrywide... He has said that he is being pressurised. We need to revisit that. I appeal to the government of India and to the concerned people that, if a respectable person like Mirwaiz says he has been pressurised, this should be re-examined..."
Mirwaiz Clarifies Move Amid UAPA Ban
All Parties Hurriyat Conference president Mirwaiz Umar Farooq removed the 'Chairman' designation for All Parties Hurriyat Conference' from his verified profiles on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Farooq clarified his move, saying that after authorities warned that his account could be taken down, citing the ban on the Hurriyat Conference and its constituent bodies under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In a post on X, Farooq wrote, "For some time now, I was being pressed by the authorities to make changes to my X (formerly Twitter) handle as Hurriyat chairman, as all constituents of Hurriyat Conference, including the Awami Action Committee that I head have been banned under the UAPA, making Hurriyat a banned organisation, failing which they will take down my handle."
He said he had little choice but to comply with the authorities' directive, stating that social media remains one of the few platforms left for him to communicate with people and share his views with the wider world. "At a time when public space and avenues of communication stand severely restricted, this platform remains among the very few means available to me to reach out to my people and share my views on our issues with them, and the outside world. Under such circumstances, it is a Hobson's choice I was left to make," the post read. (ANI)
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