Mirwaiz Farooq slams BJP' 'hyper nationalistic discourse'

Without directly mentioning about Independence Day speech of Modi, Mirwaiz said 'Talking about Balochistan, Sindh or Timbuktu' was only to divert attention

Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday deprecated the "hyper nationalistic discourse" initiated by the BJP and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to Balochistan in his Indepndence Day address was aimed at "diverting attention" from Kashmir.

In a statement here, the Mirwaiz, religious head of Muslims in the Valley and chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction, said sooner or later the government will have to come down from its "high horse and listen to people of Kashmir and resolve the issue".

Without directly mentioning about the Independence Day speech of Modi, the Mirwaiz said "Talking about Balochistan or Sindh or Timbuktu" was only to "divert attention and appease some constituencies".

"The hyper nationalistic discourse set by the ruling party in India, has scared and silenced those who claim to be custodians of India's democratic and pluralistic values and credentials so much that they do not even utter a word against such brutality leave alone do something to stop it," he said.

He said sooner than later the government will have to come to the negotiating table and solve the Kashmir issue as it is "the only guarantee of lasting peace in the entire subcontinent".

The Mirwaiz has planned a march tomorrow to the UN office in Srinagar.