Srinagar: A number of hotels in Agra city in Uttar Pradesh have put up notices which say that Kashmiri tourists are ‘not allowed’ in their premises, The Times of India reported.
A hotel owner in Agra city said that the local population of Kashmir is “supportive of militants despite our security men being killed”, the report said.
“Our 46 jawans and officers have been killed in various terrorist activities post February 14 in Kashmir, but still local residents support militants instead of paying homage to slain soldiers. It needs to stop or we will not allow them in our hotels,” TOI quoted Rajjab Ali, manager of Kishan tourist lodge as having said.
He added: “The ban will continue in the hotel until our martyrs are not served justice. We need double heads of Pakistani soldiers who often kill our men in ceasefire violations.”
Rohit, manager of Hotel Riz said, “As an Indian I support Indian defence forces unlike Kashmiri who see our soldiers as enemies. We won’t allow any Kashmiri resident to stay in our hotel until they don’t stop engaging in stone-pelting against our forces and target them,” according to the report.
However, Ramesh Wadhwa, president of Agra hotel association said, “We don’t support such protest against Kashmiri nationals, as they too are Indians. Every Kashmiri tourist or resident can fearlessly travel and stay in our hotels.”
Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility of the February 14 attack.
Following the news of the attack, Kashmiris living in India have been facing xenophobia, hate, terminations and suspensions.
A mob threatened to set a Dehradun college on fire if the institute didn’t terminate a Kashmiri dean. Abid Kuchay, college Dean of the Alpine Institute has been terminated.
“The college asked for it. I agreed for the betterment of the college,” he said. Abid’s resignation has been asked for his role of getting Kashmir students admitted in the college.
Moreover, four Kashmiri students were suspended on Saturday by the National Institute of Medical Science (NIMS), Rajasthan for sharing a WhatsApp status in which they were allegedly celebrating the Pulwama attack which left 49 CRPF personnel dead.
The second-year students — Talveen Manzoor, Iqra, Zohra Nazir and Uzma Nazir — were suspended soon after they shared as a WhatsApp status allegedly celebrating the killings of the CRPF personnel in the attack
Earlier, Shridev Suman Subharti University in Dehradun suspended a Kashmiri student after his alleged WhatsApp chat regarding the Pulwama attack went viral.
Meanwhile, Aligarh Muslim University also suspended a Kashmiri student over a ‘highly objectionable tweet’.
Omar Saleem Peerzada, AMU PRO said: “We have come to know of the highly objectionable tweet. Taking immediate cognizance the student has been suspended by the university administration,” he said.
Moreover, 15-20 Kashmiri female students had locked themselves in a hostel room in Dehradun after a mob surrounded the campus area, demanding the management to ‘throw them out of their rooms’.
Shazia Hamid, one of the students, told Free Press Kashmir that she and other Kashmiri female students, fearing the mob, have locked themselves in a room.
Following Free Press Kashmir’s news story the women were provided safety by the Dehradun police who dispersed the crowd peacefully.
Earlier, former chief minister Omar Abdullah had appealed to the Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh to direct all state governments to take ‘special care of areas where Kashmiris as residing or studying.’
Following the reports of attacks on Kashmiris in various parts of India, Government of India on Saturday asked all the states to ensure safety and security of the students and people from Jammu and Kashmir.
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