Srinagar: Addressing Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called on the Kashmiri Pandit community to return to their homeland as a gesture of goodwill during the festivity of Mela Kheer Bhawani, celebrated annually in Ganderbal’s Tulmulla.
“Today is Mela Kheer Bhawani, and I would like to extend my felicitations to our Kashmiri Pandit community on this occasion. I would also like to once again invite them to return to their homeland, which awaits them, to live here as they did in the past in our common and shared heritage. It is time to reconcile and rebuild the broken bonds. We owe it to our next generation,” he said.
Mirwaiz also demanded an investigation into the death of a youth in police custody earlier this month in Pulwama.
"The incident should be investigated, and the accused must be punished," he said.
Referring to the incident of tourists consuming liquor publicly during a shikara ride on Dal Lake, the Hurriyat chairman said, “The outrageous incident has shocked us all.”
It is pertinent to mention that the police have registered a case regarding the incident, and two people have been arrested.
“Thankfully, some action has been taken by the authorities. However, the responsibility for preventing such incidents lies equally on us, both individually and as a society. Being a tourist destination, we will have all kinds of visitors coming here.
“It is for us to ensure that the ethos of Kashmir, based on the values and principles of Islam, stays intact. We have to be aware of this all the time and consciously work towards preserving it, especially those who are directly or indirectly associated with tourism,” the Mirwaiz said.
The Mirwaiz also stated that the dismissal of government employees from service adds to the “distress among people.”
“Such measures only increase mistrust and deepen the divide,” he added.