Hobson's choice: Mirwaiz drops 'Hurriyat' title from X profile 'under immense pressure'

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

The digital update, noticed on Thursday evening, is seen by observers as an effective blow to the 33-year-old APHC, a conglomerate of separatist groups, formed in 1993 to highlight the so-called right for self-determination for people of Kashmir.

The Mirwaiz's bio now lists only his name, location, and basic details.

He chose to clarify the change in his X handle, which has a following of over 2,32,000 users, saying that the decision was made under significant pressure.

He explained that "authorities" cited the ban on the Awami Action Committee (which he heads) and other APHC constituents as grounds to remove the title or lose the account entirely.

"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... Under such circumstances, it is a Hobson's choice I was left to make," the Mirwaiz posted the clarification on X.

"Hobson's choice" means an apparently free choice when there is no real alternative.

Founded in 1993, the APHC was once the Valley's primary separatist conglomerate, which mainly indulged in coordinating mass shutdowns and political mobilisations. However, its influence has steadily eroded over the last decade due to internal differences, followed by a legal crackdown post-2019.

Most of the constituent groups are now banned under anti-terror laws, rendering the conglomerate largely inactive.

The move has drawn both support and criticism across Jammu and Kashmir's political spectrum, with the ruling National Conference (NC) chief spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq calling the pressure "wrong" and emphasising that the Mirwaiz has the role of a religious scholar in the Valley.

PDP leader Waheed Para defended the move, comparing it to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, where Prophet Muhammad agreed to remove certain titles in the interest of peace.

"Choosing peace over rigidity is not weakness; it is leadership," Para said, urging people not to weaponise the decision against the cleric. This statement was aimed at silencing critics, especially a People's Conference leader who attempted to target the Mirwaiz.

Para wrote that the Mirwaiz has acted within the framework of law and circumstances, and "those attacking and trolling him for this decision" are deliberately trying to make 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," Para said.