Srinagar, Dec 26, KDC: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday issued a detailed statement on X after removing the designation “Chairman, All Party Hurriyat Conference” from his social media handle, saying he was being “pressed by authorities” to make changes as the Hurriyat Conference and all its constituents, including the Awami Action Committee (AAC) that he heads, stand banned under the UAPA.
In a strongly-worded post, according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC), the Mirwaiz said that for “some time now” authorities had warned him to alter his handle, failing which his account would be taken down. He underscored that the space for public communication has become severely restricted, describing the situation as a “Hobson’s choice”—an option where no real alternative exists.
“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,” the Mirwaiz wrote, adding that under the prevailing circumstances, he was left with no meaningful choice but to comply in order to retain his digital voice.
The Mirwaiz, who has long been a key religious and political figure in Kashmir, stressed that X remains one of the last available channels for him to speak directly to people and articulate concerns on issues impacting the region, both locally and internationally.
Meanwhile, the Mirwaiz reiterated that despite the change in designation, his commitment to voicing people’s issues and perspectives remains unchanged. “The removal of a tag does not silence the sentiment, nor the duty to speak for my people,” he implied in tone throughout the post.
No official statement was immediately issued by authorities on the matter. However, sources in the know told KDC that the platform takedown warnings were linked to compliance requirements surrounding banned organisational representation on public social media services. (KDC)
