Stop humiliating Kashmiris

Video of two men, wearing saffron gowns, beating a Kashmiri youth in Uttar Pradesh has sent shockwaves across Kashmir.

The youth it seems was apparently humiliated for only one reason i.e. he was a Kashmiri and was trying to eke out his living in Yogi Aditnath’s Uttar Pradesh. It’s not the first video, which has gone viral, and obviously it won’t be the last video also. Kashmiris, who have gone to other parts of the country to earn their livelihood or for studies, have been at the receiving end after the Pulwama attack which left 40 CRPF men dead.

   

After the attack Kashmiri students and businessmen were sent back to the Valley. They were humiliated and threatened and told not to return. Many students have left their studies half way. Had the members of the Sikh community not come forward to help the Kashmiris, situation could have taken an ugly turn. One fails to understand why every Kashmiri has become a suspect for the elements, who seem to have been given a free hand, to deal with the people from the Valley. Sense of insecurity has crept in and Kashmiris no more want to go outside the Valley. Intolerance is increasing with each passing day and being a Kashmiri is slowly becoming a stigma.

The recent video which surfaced is making people believe that the extremist elements don’t have any respect even for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Few days after Pulwama attack PM Modi had made passionate appeal to everyone across the country to ensure that no Kashmiri is humiliated or beaten in any state. The Kashmiri youth, who was selling dry fruits, was beaten in a state where BJP swept the last assembly elections. It’s strange that elements with perverted mindset are not even ready to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.         

It’s high time for the different state governments to pass on clear cut instructions to the law enforcing agencies to take stern action against the hate mongers, who are demonizing Kashmiris and are labeling them as the “enemy no.1.”

It’s really sad that space for Kashmiris has been choked in the Valley and even in other states. Denizens of this unfortunate land, which has been witnessing turmoil for the past three decades, are facing persecution from all the sides. No one wants to trust them. Are Kashmiris facing collective punishment?

New Delhi is not interested in holding any discussion over Kashmir and wants Pakistan to fall in line. Recent air strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force across the Line of Control (LoC) had brought both India and Pakistan at the brink of war. Had the United States not intervened by now both the countries would have entered into a full-fledged conflict.

There is no doubt about the fact that Kashmir is the main cause of conflict between the two nuclear neighbours  as both the countries have fought three wars over it and were very close to fighting another one. People of other states should realize that cause of conflict is Kashmir and not its people. They go to other states to make their ends meet and feed their families. Why should these people be punished for Kashmir being a conflict zone? Elements, who have developed a habit of preaching hate against Kashmiris need to realize that they are doing a big disservice to their own country. Their acts are adding to the alienation and are pushing the Kashmiri youth to the wall. If the same trend continues no one from Kashmir would travel to any other state. Some people are of the opinion that harassing Kashmiris is a deliberate attempt to keep Kashmiris away from rest of the country.

It appears that some people like Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy want to hit the Kashmiris hard. Roy had advised everyone to boycott “everything Kashmiri.” Such an irresponsible statement from a person holding a top constitutional post had triggered outrage in the Valley.

Just few days before Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan sacked Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan in Pakistan’s Punjab  for his anti-Hindu comments. While reacting to the sacking of Chohan former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah had said that similar bigotry in India was being ignored. People, who are running the country, have to reassure Kashmiris that goons who beat up a Kashmiri youth in UP would be set right and no one will be allowed to treat Kashmiris as second grade citizens.

(Javaid Malik is Senior Editor Greater Kashmir) 

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