Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Drops Hurriyat Chairman Title From X, PDP Supports Move

There was an online backlash and a severe criticism of Mirwaiz by his opponents for removing his title.

26 Dec 2025, 18:21 · www.ndtv.com

Srinagar:

After three decades, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an alliance of secessionist parties and leaders in Kashmir, is now literally non-existent.

Kashmir's chief cleric and separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has removed the designation "chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference" (APHC) from his verified X account, a move he described as "Hobson's choice".

There was an online backlash and a severe criticism of Mirwaiz by his opponents for removing his title. Mirwaiz claimed that he was compelled to make the change after authorities warned him of taking down his account if he didn't remove his separatist title.

Three years ago, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sealed the
Hurriyat Conference headquarters in Srinagar under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

More than two dozen constituents of the Hurriyat Conference have disappeared or renounced separatism. Several groups have been declared as banned organisations, including Mirwaiz's own party, Awami Action Committee.

J&K People's Conference leaders have strongly criticised Mirwaiz and accused him of succumbing to pressure.

Mirwaiz has termed the criticism as a "vicious stretch of imagination".

"It is very unfortunate, that a certain coterie of opportunists, known to all, are going to town "moralising" about the .@MirwaizKashmir removing his designation as Hurriyat chief from his X handle by a vicious stretch of imagination," said Mirwaiz's office.

Earlier in a post, Mirwaiz said X platform remains among the very few means available to him to reach out to people and share views. By removing the separatist title, he has ensured that this online platform remains available to him.

"For some time now, I was being pressed by the authorities to make changes to my X (formerly Twitter) handle as Hurriyat chairman, as all constituents of Hurriyat Conference, including the Awami Action Committee that I head have been banned under the UAPA, making Hurriyat a banned organisation, failing which they will take down my handle, " said Mirwaiz.

"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 with them, and the outside world. Under such circumstances, it is a Hobson's choice I was left to make," he said.

Both the National Conference and the PDP have supported Mirwaiz.

"He is a religious scholar. He is widely respected. I appeal to the government of India and to the concerned people that, if a respectable person like Mirwaiz says he has been pressurised, this should be looked into," Tanvir Sadiq, chief spokesman of NC, said.

Waheed Parra, the Peoples Democratic Party MLA, said removing separatist title is not a weakness but a move aimed at peace.

"If Mirwaiz Kashmir has removed the APHC tag as an act of peace, it must never be weaponized against him. Choosing peace over rigidity is not weakness; it is leadership," Parra said.

The PDP leader said Mirwaiz is being subjected to trolling for his move.

"Mirwaiz has acted within the framework of law and circumstances. Those attacking and trolling him for this decision are deliberately trying to undermine him, making his path harder despite the extraordinary challenges he has endured and the supreme sacrifice of his father. Such attacks do not serve justice or peace, they only deepen division," he said.

Show full article

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world