Srinagar, Dec 26 : In a move that has triggered widespread political and public discussion in the Kashmir Valley, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief cleric of Kashmir and a prominent moderate separatist voice, on Thursday evening removed the designation “Chairman, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC)” from his verified social media profile on X (formerly Twitter).
The change was noticed late Thursday, when the Mirwaiz’s bio was edited to include only his name and basic location details, omitting any reference to the Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella separatist organisation that has remained politically dormant in recent years. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq enjoys a significant online following, with more than two lakh followers on the platform, and his digital presence is closely tracked for political signals.
The development has come at a time when separatist politics in Jammu and Kashmir is undergoing visible shifts amid sustained security measures and legal action by the Centre. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference, once a dominant political force articulating separatist aspirations in the Valley, has seen its influence diminish considerably following a series of bans, arrests, and financial probes against its constituents.
Notably, the Mirwaiz’s own organisation, the Awami Action Committee (AAC), was recently banned by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a stringent anti-terror law. The ban marked a significant moment, as the AAC has historically been associated with religious and socio-political mobilisation around the Mirwaiz family, particularly in Srinagar’s old city.
Despite the symbolic significance of the social media change, the Mirwaiz was not immediately available for comment, and no official statement has been issued clarifying the intent behind the removal of the Hurriyat designation. The absence of an explanation has fueled speculation across political, academic, and civil society circles about whether the move reflects a personal distancing from the Hurriyat platform, a strategic recalibration, or merely a digital housekeeping decision.
Political observers note that while social media edits do not automatically translate into formal political shifts, in Kashmir’s highly scrutinised environment, even minor symbolic gestures tend to carry weight. Some analysts view the move as an acknowledgment of the Hurriyat Conference’s current irrelevance, while others caution against reading too much into an online profile update without a formal announcement.
The development also comes against the backdrop of the Centre’s consistent stance that separatist politics has been effectively dismantled in Jammu and Kashmir, with emphasis now placed on electoral participation, governance, and development.
Whether the Mirwaiz’s decision signals a broader change in approach or remains a limited symbolic act is yet to be seen. For now, the quiet removal of a long-held political designation has once again brought the spotlight back on the evolving contours of Kashmiri politics.
