The father of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani is emerging a leader of the protest movement in the Valley, overshadowing established separatist voices like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the Mirwaiz. On Friday, Muzaffar Wani led a procession of thousands in Pampore as more people turned up to hear him, ignoring a call by the Hurriyat factions to march to Hazratbal in Srinagar.
A recently formed umbrella separatist group, which includes Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik of the JKLF, had given a call for ‘Dargah chalo’ on Friday. However, the response was thin. In contrast, thousands from south Kashmir defied curfew, imposed in the entire Valley , to reach Khrew in Pampore.
Wani, who was the main attraction at the protest, was escorted by several armed militants, according to eyewitnesses. While most people walked to Khrew, Wani arrived in a Bolero. He told protesters he was ready to offer his only daughter for the fight against “Indian occupation” after “sacrificing” his two sons, eyewitnesses told TOI. Burhan Wani’s brother Khalid was killed in cross-firing between militants and security forces in a forest in Tral in 2010.
One of the militants who accompanied Wani also addressed the gathering at Khrew and asked protesters not to pelt stones at security forces and private cars. He said this would lead to police action and more killings.
Though Hurriyat leaders were not associated with the Khrew protest, sensing the mood of people from south Kashmir there, Geelani’s supporters later played out his address through a mobile phone.
On July 31, Hurriyat had taken part in a protest at the graveyard at Kareemabad in Pulwama where several slain militants are buried. Wani was also invited to this event, which was attended by nearly 50,000 people, and it was here that his supporters had given a call for the protest at Khrew on Friday. However, Hurriyat leaders decided to organise a separate protest and later gave the call for “Dargah chalo” on the same day.
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