JK: Mirwaiz calls for complete shutdown on May 21

Srinagar, May 16: The moderate Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has called for a general strike in Jammu and Kashmir on May 21 to observe the death anniversaries of assassinated leaders Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone.

The moderate Hurriyat Conference will observe a martyrdom week in Kashmir from May 16-21 in memory of the assassinated leaders.

The Mirwaiz-led Awami Action Committee (AAC) would also organize various programmes from May 16-21 to mark the 17th death anniversary of its founder (Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq).

In a statement, AAC spokesman Shahid-ul-Islam said a prayer meeting and the Holy Quran recitation competition would be organised at the Mirwaiz Manzil in Rajouri Kadal here today.

A seminar on education would be held tomorrow at the Islamia Higher Secondary School at Rajouri Kadal here. On May 18, a blood donation-cum-medical camp would be held at the grand Jamia Masjid Park here, he added.

On May 19, the AAC spokesman said, a seminar would be organised by the moderate Hurriyat Conference in memory of the assassinated leaders at Hotel Grand Mumtaz here. A workers' rally would be organised in memory of the late Mirwaiz at the AAC headquarters here on May 20, he said.

''On May 21, there will be complete shutdown in memory of the assassinated leaders. A public rally will also be organised at Eidgah here on the same day,'' the spokesman added.

On May 21, 1990, unidentified gunmen assassinated Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq, the father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, at his Nigeen residence here.

And on May 21, 2002, Peoples Conference chairman and senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone fell to the bullets of unidentified gunmen at a rally held at Eidgah grounds in old city to mark the 12th death anniversary of the late Mirwaiz.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Conference would also observe the fifth death anniversary of its founder-chairman here on May 22.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Ghani Lone was likely to address a rally here on May 22 to mark the death anniversary of his assassinated father.

On May 21 last year, ''fidayeen (members of a suicide squad)'' attacked a rally organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee to mark the 15th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at the Sher-i-Kashmir Municipal Park here.

Three civilians, two policemen and as many fidayeen were killed in the two-hour-long gun-battle which broke out minutes before Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was scheduled to arrive at the public meeting.

At least 22 people, including the then Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, K Rajendra Kumar, were also wounded in the attack, the responsibility of which was claimed by the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Al Mansoorian militant outfits.

UNI