Mirwaiz, MP Rashid, MP Ruhullah, Lone question mass arrests, demolitions after Anantnag attack
There is growing anger and concern among leaders of regional parties, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, MP Engineer Rashid and MP Agha Syed Ruhullah, over the mass arrest and demolition of houses of terrorist families in Kashmir in the backdrop of the Anantnag attack that killed a police officer two days ago.
Addressing the congregation at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar on Friday, July 24, 2026, Mirwaiz said that there had been “large-scale detentions, interrogations and harassment of young people across Kashmir” in Kashmir in the last two days, and that more than 2,000 young people were arrested for allegedly being “overground workers” or OGWs.
“An act of violence committed by one person cannot justify collective punishment for all. The murder must be investigated and those responsible [in the Anantnag attack] must be handled in accordance with the law. However, innocent youth and their families should not be made scapegoats and made to suffer,” Mirwaiz said.
He said reports of suspected militants’ homes being demolished, leaving their families homeless, were “another extrajudicial and unfair measure”. “Such measures deepen resentment and are ultimately counterproductive,” Mirwaiz said.
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz welcomed the bail release of Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj.
About the student protests in New Delhi, Mirwaiz said, “Young people who express genuine concerns should be listened to and engaged with, and not subjected to police and force.”
Reports of pellet injuries among protesters “are a painful reminder of the devastating consequences that hundreds of Kashmiris have suffered from pellet guns over the decades,” he said, adding: “It is sad to see that students in Delhi are facing this right now. The use of force cannot resolve grievances or problems, whether in Delhi or Kashmir; Dialogue, accountability and participation are the only way to achieve resolution.”
In New Delhi, amid ongoing disruptions in Parliament, MP Rashid, who heads the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), strongly protested the mass detentions and bulldozing of housing in the Kashmir Valley.
AIP spokesperson said that as soon as the House convened this morning, MP Rashid entered the well of the House and protested against the mass detentions and demolition of houses in Kashmir.
“We feel the pain of the family of the deceased police officer killed in the Anantnag militant attack. After all, he was one of us. So how can you justify the arrest of 2,500 people and the demolition of houses with bulldozers? In this country, no one talks about Kashmiris and the state’s oppression of them. You tried to silence our voices using irrational arguments and brutal force. You have created a martial law-like situation in J&K,” the MP said. said Rasheed.
The MP, who is currently imprisoned in Tihar Jail for alleged terrorism financing, said: “The use of force against protesters in Delhi is equally condemnable. But in similar cases, why are Kashmiris not allowed to express their pain on social media? The events in Delhi have once again raised serious questions about whether New Delhi is truly treating Kashmiris as its own people. While cops were brutally beaten on the streets of New Delhi, the response remained law and order. But when an unidentified militant attacked a police officer in Kashmir, thousands turned out.” “They are prosecuted and entire communities are subjected to suspicion and punishment.”
He also brought up the killing of auto driver Arif Hussain during an anti-militant operation in Bhaderwah. MP Rashid said, “This is a cold-blooded murder by the police. Before talking to Sonam Wangchuk and offering her juice to break her fast, (Union Minister) Dr. Jitendra Singh should answer how Arif Hussain was murdered in cold blood in Bhaderwah. He did not say a single word against this murder.”
National Conference Leader and Member of Parliament Agha Seyyid Ruhullah stated that 2,500 young people were captured within 24 hours and were “detained for questioning”. “It does not appear in any law and contains no guarantees. And two houses were blown up at night. One of them was demolished last year, rebuilt and lived in only a few months. The Supreme Court ruled that criminal demolition without due process is unconstitutional,” said MP Ruhullah.
J&K People’s Conference (JKPC) president and legislator Sajad Lone also expressed concern over the mass arrests. “The actions taken by the J&K police after yesterday’s dastardly attack will cause more damage. You cannot summon and arrest thousands of people because their names are in the OGW list. The list is decades old.
Most of these people are elderly, in their seventies, he said. “In conflict situations there is the concept of reintegration. People who take up arms are eventually encouraged and facilitated to reintegrate into society. I do not agree with the concept of mass arrest. It is more like social punishment. Please look again. We live among people here and are subject to questions. So what law of our country legitimizes this social punishment? It is clearly illegal,” Mr. Lone said.
It was published – 25 July 2026 03:26 IST
