Tauseef Ahmad
Srinagar, Dec 26: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday expressed serious concern over the alleged harassment and lynching-related incidents involving Kashmiris working outside the Union Territory, particularly shawl sellers, and urged the Omar Abdullah-led government to take immediate steps to ensure their safety.
Addressing the media, Mehbooba Mufti said the government should send a ministerial team to different states to assess the situation on the ground and coordinate with local administrations to protect Kashmiris earning their livelihoods outside Jammu and Kashmir. “The government must take a clear stand and ensure justice. Kashmiris cannot be left vulnerable in other states,” she said.
Referring to recent incidents reported from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, Mufti said that at least three cases of harassment and lynching attempts have come to light in the past 72 hours, describing the situation as “deeply disturbing.” She said while some arrests have been made, stronger political and administrative intervention is required.
Mufti also raised concerns over what she termed growing intolerance and questioned the role of institutions, including the judiciary, in ensuring accountability in cases involving mob violence. She said justice must be delivered without delay and accused governments of reacting only after public outrage.
“We will work hard in either moving to judiciary or choosing another way to bring Kashmiri prisoners back to the jails of Kashmir from outside,” she said while adding the continuous trails outside the valley have pushed many families into financial distress.”
Calling upon leaders from the ruling party, Mufti said Aga Ruhullah, a Member of Parliament from the ruling party, should play an active role in persuading the government to act decisively on the reservation issue.
