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Kashmir erupts in protests against anti-Islam movie
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 9/15/2012 12:02:02 AM
Separatists put under house arrest
SRINAGAR, Sep 14: Thousands of Muslims across Kashmir valley today staged protest demonstrations against the anti-Islam movie, ’Innocence of Muslims’.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan were among the leaders who were placed under house arrest. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Javid Ahmad Mir and Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karatay were arrested and lodged in police stations.
After the Friday prayers, the protests broke in major towns of the valley including Srinagar with Muslims shouting slogans against the makers of the film and America. At many places the protesters burnt the American flags.
In summer capital, the biggest protest was staged outside Jamia Masjid in the old city. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Masjid after the prayers, shouting anti-America, pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans. Hurriyat (M) leader Shahidul Islam, was part of the protest. The protesters burnt down the flags of USA and Israel.
Later, the protesters tried to march towards Khanyar, where the shrine of Dastageer Sahab (RA) was gutted in a mysterious fire recently, but police and CRPF intercepted them.
The protest, however, ended peacefully.
The protest demonstrations were also held in other old city areas adjoining Nowhatta.
In uptown, the protesters were staged at Maisuma, Abi Guzar and Sarai Bala. At Maisuma and Abi Guzar the protesters, shouting slogans, tried to march towards the main road, but the police disallowed. The protesters were demanding action against the makers of the film.
The Kashmir bar association stayed away from the work since to register protest against the film. And after prayers, the lawyers staged a protest rally in which hundreds of them marched peacefully on the streets of Lal Chowk.
The procession went from the Lower court to Regal chowk and back to Lower Court where the President Advocate Z A Qureshi, former president, advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, and senior lawyer, Advocate Zafar A Shah, addressed the lawyers. They strongly condemned the film and its makers.
The Kashmir University students also staged protest inside the campus, and burnt down the US flag. They appealed Muslim countries to cut-off the oil supply to the West in protest.
The call for the protests was given by the separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was, however, taken into custody this afternoon.
“He tried to leave for Namaz and to participate in the protests, but police arrested him. He was taken to police station Humhama,” the spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference (G) said.
In a statement to press, however, Geelani reiterated that the movie was a “jointly hatched conspiracy” to hurt the Muslims worldwide. The screening of the movie by Army at Kupwara, he said, is an example of it.
“The screening of the film proves that countries like India, Israel and America are working together against the Muslims,” he said.
JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, was also arrested while Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan were placed under house arrest.
Malik was arrested in the morning. However, in a statement to press he strongly condemned the incident.
“The film-maker must be a lunatic needing psychiatric treatment…In recent times, we have seen many incidents that have hurt the sentiments of Muslims. It happened last year also,” he said.
Mirwaiz Umar, in a statement, said that Muslim World and especially Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) should convene an emergency meeting to reign in anti-Muslim forces from repeating such sacrilegious acts in future.