Human Rights

Jammu Chamber, Ram Sena, leading newspaper unite in hate campaign against Rohingyas

Srinagar: A leading English daily of Jammu, The Early Times, on Tuesday has carried a full page advertisement of a right wing group Shri Ram Sena calling for the residents of Jammu to ‘unite against the threat of Rohingyas’.

The advertisement, which features Rajeev Mahajan, President of the Sena and the message in bold reads, ” Threat of Rohingyas looms large over the heads of peace loving Jammuites. Let us all unite to save Jammu.”

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The same advertisement, with the same warning was carried on March 2 by the newspaper. This time however, the full page ad was sponsored by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). The ad featured Gaurav Gupta, Secretary of the JCCI.

The Jammu Chamber, last year in a press conference had said that that they would launch an ‘identify and kill movement’ against the Bangladeshi and Rohingya settlers in Jammu if the government fails to deport them.

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In a press conference President of the Jammu Chamber Rakesh Gupta said that there is a growing threat perception from Bangladeshis and Rogingyas, whom the chamber considers as ‘criminals and drug traffickers’ disowned by their own countries.

After facing heat, they ‘clarified’ that their statement was misread by ‘anti-national elements’. In the same statement they said that the illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants are possible ‘human bombs’ who might be used by militant organizations.

ALSO READ: Amid politicization, how’s UNHCR tackling the Rohingya refugee crisis in Jammu

The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party has time and again called for the deportation of Rohingya Muslims from Jammu as they believe that the persecuted minority are a threat to the ‘history, culture and identity of the Dogras.’

Recently, the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta said that the attack on the Sunjawan Army Station as there are Rohingya refugees present in the area. 

“The incident took place due to presence of Rohingyas in the area,” Gupta said in House. The remarks drew sharp reaction from the opposition, who accused him of targeting a particular community.

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The United Nations, on Tuesday reiterated that the ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas, who have been called the most persecuted people in the world, is still going on.

 

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