Demanding the resignation of Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy over his ‘boycott Kashmir’ tweet, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) lawmaker Naresh Gujral told The Quint that “those who profess the politics of hate must never be made governors.” Gujral’s party, the SAD, is an ally of the BJP, whose government at the Centre had appointed Roy as Meghalaya Governor
Governor Tathagata Roy had tweeted that he agrees with the view that “everything Kashmiri” should be boycotted.
Speaking on the anti-Kashmiri sentiment post the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives, Gujral said that this form of alienation only helps Pakistan, which he says wants to shatter India’s unity. Gujral adds that Pakistan had attempted to divide the nation during the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
“This form of terrorism is the handwork of Pakistan and its proxy war against India. After Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 the entire Sikh community was targeted. This brought a sense of alienation in the community which has sacrificed a lot for the nation. It took a lot of time to heal this alienation.”Naresh Gujral, MP, Shiromani Akali Dal
Gujral feels that those who practice the politics of polarisation and seclusion must be kept away from the mainstream. Sending a strong message to those blaming and harassing Kashmiris in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Gujral said that an “overwhelming majority of Kashmiris do not support terrorism.” He further stressed that Kashmiris are ‘peace-loving people,’ who are being targeted unnecessarily.
Gujral warns that if Kashmiris are alienated – like the Sikh community after 1984 – they will not be able to place the nation first. “Will they think about the country after this? If a similar treatment is meted out to us, how will we feel about it. You are targeting an Indian, not a Kashmiri,” he added.
By making such divisive statements, Gujral says “the governor has acted irresponsibly.” "I feel PM Modi's policy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' has not reached his ears. If a governor issues such statements, what kind of message are we sending to the nation? Do we want to break the nation?” he said.
Asked why he and his party had not approached ally BJP, whose government had appointed Governor Roy, Gujral says that Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had already distanced the party from Roy’s remakes and it’s upto them whether to call the governor back or to take any other action against him.
Whatever the BJP decides to do with Governor Roy, Gujral maintains that he will continue to voice his opinion against those who seek to divide India.
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