SRINAAR / JAMMU Condemnations continued to pour in as political, religious and civil society groups Saturday expressed concern over the safety of Kashmiris in wake of disturbing reports about violence and threats directed at them in Jammu and outside following the Pulwama suicide bombing that left nearly 50 CRPF personnel dead and several others injured.
Fanatic elements let loose to target Kashmiris
Hurriyat Conference(M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik alleged that fanatic elements had been let loose to execute their communal agenda by targeting Kashmiris on the pretext of Pulwama attack.
In a statement, Mirwaiz said it is incumbent upon those ruling in these Indian states and the Governor in Jammu to control these elements and ensure the safety of Kashmiris wherever they are being attacked and harassed and their properties vandalized and burnt down.
Open freedom provided to hooligans by administration in Jammu is highly condemnable. The silence of saner elements, civil society and liberals of Jammu on the hooliganism of chauvinist attacks on Muslims and Kashmiris amounts to criminal attitude of these people.
Terming the attacks on Kashmiris and Muslims as most reprehensible and act of cowardice, Malik said that it has been an old practice of fascists in Jammu to stand against Muslims and Kashmiris on every issue and aspect be it social, religious, political or even criminal in nature.
In 1947, Jammu chauvinists massacred more than three hundred thousand Muslims and changed the demography of that land. With the active support of erstwhile Mahraja and his forces, hooligans besieged thousands of Muslims, massacred, looted and vandalized them and thus changed the demography of Jammu in 1947, he said.
In a statement, Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson Advocate Zahid Ali said, The way the communalist elements have created an atmosphere to harass and intimidate the Muslims in Jammu and cause damage to their persons and property and thereby targeted the Muslim populated areas and various Masajid and the partial role played by the local police which instead of stopping this hooliganism and lawlessness, looked like the spectators, is most condemnable.
Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, and various other separatist leaders also condemned the attacks and demanded the authorities ensure the safety of Kashmiris.
Omar calls on Rajnath, Mehbooba says attack on CRPF no excuse to target Kashmiris
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah expressed disappointment over a resolution passed in an all-party meeting in Delhi for not including in it an appeal to maintain calm in the wake of violence in Jammu and tension in other states over the Pulwama attack.
“Disappointed the resolution did not include a call for calm. Reports of violence in Jammu & tension in university/college campuses in some states, I would have expected an appeal for calm to have gone with the condemnation & condolences,” Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter.
He also met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought his intervention to ensure safety of Kashmiri students and traders in various parts of the country.
In his 30-minute-long meeting with the home minister, Abdullah also requested Singh to make sure that peace returns to the Jammu region.
“Just met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sb to personally pay my condolences for the tragic deaths in Pulwama on Thursday. I requested him to take all steps necessary to ensure Jammu remains calm (sic),” Omar wrote on Twitter.
“I took the opportunity to inform Rajnath Singh Sb of the reports I had received of Kashmiri students & others being threatened/harassed and requested him to appoint a nodal officer in HMO India to ensure the directive issued to states is followed in letter & spirit (sic),” he said.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti cautioned that mischievous elements must not be allowed to use the Pulwama attack as “an excuse to persecute or harass people” from the state, saying the pain of the killings of CRPF personnel must not fuel “such diabolical plans”.
“Understand the pain & (and) anguish. But we musnt (must not) allow such mischievous elements to use this as an excuse to persecute / harass people from J&K. Why should they suffer for somebody else’s action? We need to be united instead of letting people exploit our fears,” Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.
Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone said he spoke to civilian and police authorities, who had assured him of safety and security of Kashmiris living, studying and working outside the state.
He also appealed to political leadership and authorities across the country to make an appeal for calm so as to maintain communal harmony in Jammu and other parts of the country.
Various civil society groups also condemned the attacks and urged authorities to take action against the perpetrators and ensure safety of Kashmiris.
NC passes resolution, PDP delegation meets Div Com
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference while condemning the suicide bombing attack made a fervent appeal to the people to maintain peace and calm and uphold the high traditions of amity, tranquility, harmony and brotherhood.
Expressing concern and anguish over the incidents of violence in Jammu yesterday, the National Conference said this is against the great and glorious ethos of Jammu, which has withstood test of times during most difficult times.
If Mahatma Gandhi saw a ray of light emanating from Kashmir during 1947 Partition, the nation, in fact the world, witnessed hope emerging from Jammu when the people opened up their arms and embraced with open hearts the people in distress from the Valley during early 1990s, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, a resolution passed by the party said.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said a high-level party delegation on Divisional Commissioner Jammu, impressing upon him to ensure complete protection to vulnerable employees, traders, labourers, students and patients from Valley and other parts of the state.
According to a PDP spokesman, the delegation led by senior PDP leader Nizam -din Bhat expressed concern over the lapses in security which resulted in attacks on employees and other people who were also put to loss.
The delegation comprising of Nizam-ud-din Bhat, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, Abdul Majeed Paddar, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Ajaz Mir, Vaid Mahajan, Abdul Qayoom Wani, Parvez Waffa Khan and several others further urged for restoration of normal order in the region.
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