Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday clarified the reasons behind removing the designation “Chairman, All Parties Hurriyat Conference” from his verified X (formerly Twitter) profile, stating that the move was made under pressure from authorities who warned of taking down his social media account.
In a detailed post on X, the chief cleric of Kashmir said he had been repeatedly asked to change his profile description because all constituents of the Hurriyat Conference, including the Awami Action Committee (AAC) that he heads, have been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the Mirwaiz, this effectively renders the Hurriyat Conference a banned organisation in the eyes of the law.
“For some time now, I was being pressed by the authorities to make changes to my X handle as Hurriyat chairman… failing which they would take down my handle,” Mirwaiz wrote.
He described the situation as a “Hobson’s choice”, saying that in the current environment—where public space and avenues of communication are severely restricted—social media platforms remain among the very few means available to him to communicate with people in Kashmir and convey his views to the outside world.
“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,” he said.
The clarification comes a day after Mirwaiz’s X profile was noticed without any reference to the Hurriyat Conference, triggering widespread political speculation in the Valley. The edit had led to debates over whether the move signalled a political distancing from the separatist platform or reflected a broader shift in approach.
Political observers note that the Mirwaiz’s statement places the development in the context of mounting legal and administrative restrictions rather than a voluntary political realignment. The Hurriyat Conference, once a key separatist umbrella organisation in Jammu and Kashmir, has seen its influence significantly diminish in recent years amid sustained crackdowns, bans on constituent groups, and curbs on public activity.
The Awami Action Committee, traditionally associated with the Mirwaiz family and based in Srinagar’s old city, was recently banned by the Centre under the UAPA, further constraining its activities.
While the Mirwaiz continues to remain under close watch, his latest statement underscores the shrinking space for political and religious expression in the Valley and highlights the growing reliance on digital platforms as one of the few remaining channels of communication.
The issue is expected to continue generating debate as Kashmir’s political landscape undergoes rapid and visible transformation.
