The declaration by Darul Uloom Deoband and Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind clerics on Sunday that Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was an integral part of India and the concerns of Kashmiris should be addressed within the framework of the Indian constitution evoked angry reactions from militants and Hurriyat hawks in the Valley on Monday.
Darul Uloom Deoband is the spiritual headquarters of Sunnis, while Jamiat is its influential social front.
Hizbul Mujahideen, the biggest indigenous militant outfit of Kashmir, questioned the intellect of the clerics. He said by issuing such a fatwa, they had once again proved that they were supporting the oppressor, not the oppressed.
“These clerics have played a negative role since the Pakistan movement. They have always been pro-India. A Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind leader is a member of parliament who enjoys luxury under the patronage of his masters,” Hibz spokesman Ahsan Ilahi said.
He advised the clerics to go through speeches of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and find for themselves whether Kashmir is a dispute or not.
“Plus, if it is not a dispute, what are UN representatives doing in Kashmir? No other state of India houses UN members. Even the pro-India chief minister of J&K [Omar Abdullah] accepted Kashmir was a dispute in his speech in the assembly recently,” Ilahi said.
Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Geelani said Deoband had lost credibility after it stage-managed a conference in which clerics chose to close their eyes to reality.
“It is not possible that clerics would not know the historical facts about Kashmir. But they have chosen to close their eyes. Everyone knows Kashmir was an independent country before 1947 and it was occupied by New Delhi,” he said.
