Centre Asks States, UTs to Ensure Safety of Kashmiri Students
Some reports of students and other residents of Jammu and Kashmir experiencing threats and intimidation.
The Centre on Saturday, 16 February, asked all states to ensure safety and security of the students and people from Jammu and Kashmir living in their areas in the wake of threats to them in some parts of the country, officials said.
The advisory came hours after Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured an all party meeting of doing the needful for the protection of the Kashmiri students and people who were allegedly threatened after the terrorist attack in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.
A Home Ministry official said there have been some reports of students and other residents of Jammu and Kashmir experiencing threats and intimidation. "Therefore, the Home Ministry today issued an advisory to all states/UTs to take necessary measures to ensure their safety and security," the official said.
Some Kashmiri youths studying in the Uttarakhand capital, Dehradun, have alleged that they were harassed and have been asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations fearing attacks on their properties in the aftermath of the attack.
Steps Taken by Local Cops for Safety, Security of Kashmiri Students in Dehradun
The Dehradun police has assured its Jammu and Kashmir counterpart of taking all necessary measures for the safety and security of Kashmiri students studying there amidst allegation of their harassment after the Pulwama terror attack, an official said here Saturday.
Some Kashmiri youths studying in the Uttarakhand capital have alleged that they were harassed and have been asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations fearing attacks on their properties in the aftermath of the deadliest attack on security forces.
"This refers to the circulation of news regarding the harassment of Kashmir-based students in Dehradun. In this regard it is informed that the authorities from Jammu and Kashmir Police have spoken to the authorities concerned in Dehradun Police," a police spokesperson said.
Omar Abdullah Writes to Rajnath Singh
Asserting that Kashmiri people living in other states could be soft targets in a surcharged atmosphere, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday, 15 February, asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to direct all state governments to ensure their safety.
"My earnest appeal to @rajnathsingh ji to please issue directions to all state governments to take special care in areas/colleges/institutions where Kashmiris are residing/studying. They are soft targets in a surcharged atmosphere," Abdullah tweeted.
He also asked people to unite against terror and maintain peace.
"Kashmiris/Muslims in Jammu didn't attack our CRPF jawans yesterday (Thursday), terrorists did. This violence is a convenient tool by some to shift the blame. Let's unite against terror, let's not allow terror to divide us," Abdullah said.
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