Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party Vice-President Omar Abdullah Thursday said that his party would move court if the decision to withdraw the security cover to mainstream politicians was not revisited.
Omar in a series of tweets questioned the step taken by the governor administration and asked him to reconsider it.
“I would like to encourage @jandkgovernor to reconsider this step. If it is not revisited we will approach the courts & ask them to intervene,” Omar tweeted.
I would like to encourage @jandkgovernor to reconsider this step. If it is not revisited we will approach the courts & ask them to intervene.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 21, 2019
Raising question over the security withdrawal, Omar said the step was taken without taking into consideration inputs from central and state intelligence agencies but has been taken for political purposes only.
“I have no doubt this step was taken without taking in to consideration inputs from central & state intelligence agencies which can only mean it’s been done for political purposes & there is an element of pick & choose at play here,” he said.
I have no doubt this step was taken without taking in to consideration inputs from central & state intelligence agencies which can only mean it’s been done for political purposes & there is an element of pick & choose at play here.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 21, 2019
The NC vice president said the withdrawal of security to mainstream political workers and office bearers is a retrograde step that will only weaken political activity in the valley.
“Withdrawal of security to mainstream political workers & office bearers is a retrograde step that will only weaken political activity in the valley. This is regardless of the fact that no one from @JKNC_ has had their security withdrawn in yesterday’s list,” he said.
Withdrawal of security to mainstream political workers & office bearers is a retrograde step that will only weaken political activity in the valley. This is regardless of the fact that no one from @JKNC_ has had their security withdrawn in yesterday’s list.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 21, 2019
At a time when mainstream political parties should be encouraged to step up their activities & build greater contact with people to counter the forces that have supported radicalisation & violence this will have the opposite fallout.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 21, 2019
Earlier, on Sunday and then on Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Government downgraded and withdrew the security of 18 Hurriyat leaders in the region on Wednesday evening, following a February 14 suicide bomb attack on a CRPF convoy in Lethpora area along the Srinagar-Jammu highway in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district which killed 49 CRPF personnel.
According to a spokesperson of the Home Department, it was felt that providing security to these resistance leaders is a wastage of scarce state resources which could be better utilised elsewhere.
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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