Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq not allowed to leave home to offer prayers

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday disallowed Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq to leave his residence and address the congregation at Jama Masjid despite Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's statement that he was a 'free man.'

Mirwaiz, who is under house arrest since August 4, 2019, attempted to leave his residence on Friday afternoon but the police officials stopped his vehicle inside his residence at Nigeen area of Srinagar. The chief cleric of Kashmir alleged that the administration has repressed his 'human rights and religious rights' by not allowing him to pray and address Friday gatherings for over three years now.

"If the government is saying everything is normal and people are happy in Kashmir, let them allow me to participate in that happiness. Let me meet my people. I have been confined here without any formal explanation," Mirwaiz told the police officers deployed at his residence. The officers cited 'security reasons' for not allowing him to move out.

Earlier this month, Sinha in an interview to an international news channel had said that 'Mirwaiz was not under house arrest and that police around his residence were stationed for his safety. He had said that Mirwaiz should decide what he wants to do. "None other than the LG sahib with all responsibility has clearly said that I am a free man, then why aren't you allowing me to move out? I want to meet my people. Give me in writing that I was not allowed to move out so that I can take the relevant follow up action. I may approach the people and court as well," said Mirwaiz.