India lost moral battle: Mirwaiz

Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of his faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said on Tuesday that India has lost the moral battle on Kashmir and now it should accept its defeat and agree to resolve the issue as per the wishes and aspirations of its people.

“They have lost the battle on moral grounds. Now it should either agree to the resolution of Kashmir dispute through implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions or sit across the negotiating table with Pakistan and the representatives of the Kashmiri people to seek an amicable solution,” he said at a press conference here.

The Mirwaiz, who is part of an alliance of key separatist leaders which is spearheading the current stir in Kashmir Valley, was on Monday evening released from a sub-jail here after remaining incarcerated for about two months. He said, “India must read the clear and unambiguous writing on the wall. The time has come when it should give up rigidity and accept the reality of Kashmir.”

He reiterated, “We’ve already won a moral victory. More than 100 days of continuous protest with wholehearted support and participation of people. It has no parallel in the current world. It gives us a measure of our strength”. He added, “Only a nation which has deep resilience, determination and courage can sustain this kind of struggle. Alhumdulillah (praise be to God), the people of Kashmir Valley have shown to the world that they have a deep thirst for freedom.”