TCN Correspondent
The Muharram procession in Srinagar saw an interesting political angle to the occasion when a portrait of Burhan Wani, the former Hizbul Mujahideen commander, was displayed during the event. A clip of the event where the portrait can be seen went viral on social media, prompting swift backlash from the authorities who deleted the video and blocked accounts sharing the same.
Comparing Kashmir with Karbala, a youth during the procession organised by hundreds of Shia Muslims said, “Every day is Ashura in Kashmir.” Thousands of people joined the 7th Muharram procession, the only traditional procession allowed in Srinagar City and chanted slogans of resistance and freedom during the event.
“Shaheed Burhan Wani and his 11 companions stood against millions of Yazidis (Referring to the government forces) following the footsteps of Imam Hussain and his companions. Our salutes to Burhan,” a youth is seen to have said in the one-minute clip that went viral on Social media networks in the Valley. In the video clip which that ends with intense pro-Azadi sloganeering and garnered millions of views, a youth can be heard praising the 22-year-old former commander. In the video clip, the youth wearing a headband bearing the name of Imam Hussain can be heard saying Burhan and his group followed the footsteps of martyrs of Karbala.
The procession began with the speech of senior Hurriyat Conference leader Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, who spoke with TwoCircles.net later. Pointing out that the main aim of Muharram procession is to remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in the way of truth while rejecting falsehood, Ansari said, “Imam Hussain (RA) is the king of all those martyrs’ who sacrificed their lives and we remember all those who fight against the tyranny. In Kashmir too people are fighting against the tyrant rulers and are sacrificing their lives in the name of Islam and freedom.
“Burhan wani too followed the path of Imam Hussain (RA) and sacrificed his life so he is also remembered with the martyrs’ of Karbala in our processions. He is the symbol of resistance in Kashmir. And that is why our youth praised him in the processions” he added.
Srinagar-based Journalist Saqib Mugloo said it was no surprise that Burhan Wani dominated the Muharram processions this year. “He has been a symbol of resistance and his nature is something that has attracted people across the religious and sectarian divide. People say Burhan helped poor and the downtrodden of the society, and he never harmed anyone, despite being a rebel,” he said.
Mugloo also said that it was natural that Shias praised Burhan. Given that they follow Hussain (RA) who stood against injustice and tyranny despite having very people by his side, “the sacrifice of Hussain teaches people to stand up against oppression. And Burhan was one among those who stood up against it. One cannot also ignore the magnitude of oppression that has been prevalent in the valley since the death of Burhan Wani,” he added.
Even though traditional Muharram processions remain banned in Srinagar, smaller ones taken out in interiors of the city are increasingly turning into sort of demonstrations against what is described here as ‘State Terrorism”.
This despite police summons issued against dozens of youth who were involved in pro-Azadi slogans during Muharram processions earlier on Monday.
Ever since the beginning of Muharram, Shia Muslims in Kashmir have demonstrated against the killings in Kashmir by raising pro-freedom slogans during the mourning processions, videos of which have widely been shared on social media.
Reports said Police has summoned youth appearing in these clips to Police stations in a bid to stem the tide.
In Kashmir, the government’s ban on Muharram processions (Muharram 8 and 10) in Srinagar city is in place since 1990, when the armed rebellion against Indian rule gained momentum. Despite the clampdown and curfew-like restrictions imposed by authorities, thousands of mourners carry out peaceful processions every year and are subjected to brutal police action.
Each year, police impose curfew-like restrictions on Muharram 8 and 10 in parts of Srinagar city, including Lal Chowk, the nerve-centre of Srinagar. Iron barricades and spools of concertina wires are put up at every entry point. The fully-armed police personnel do not even allow pedestrian movement as tough restrictions are enforced.
However, despite the clampdown, mourners each year defy police restrictions and take out peaceful mourning processions in the main city. Each time, they are intercepted by massive contingents of heavily-armed police and paramilitary personnel. They fire tear smoke canisters, resort to baton charge and brutally manhandle the mourners participating in these processions.