CM Omar should take up with Centre issue of 'harassment' of Kashmiris: PDP chief

Srinagar, Nov 20 (PTI) PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should take up with the Centre the issue of alleged harassment faced by people of Jammu and Kashmir outside the Union territory in the aftermath of the November 10 Red Fort blast.

"People across the country are angry over the blast in which innocent persons were killed but it does not mean that Kashmiris who are earning their livelihood or education in other parts of the country should be the target of this anger.

"Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should take up this issue with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister as people of Kashmir living outside are terrified," Mehbooba said.

The former J&K chief minister was talking to reporters at Kangan in Ganderbal district after visiting the family of Bilal Ahmad, who died due to injuries in the Red Fort blast.

"It is very unfortunate...he had gone to Delhi for earning livelihood. They are very poor and I hope they are taken care of.

"There are thousands like him who are outside trying to earn their livelihood, and lakhs of our children are studying in different colleges across the country where they are currently facing many difficulties," she said Mehbooba said there was a need to introspect why a doctor like Umar Nabi would prefer death over living and saving lives.

"As a mother I think that this is a moment of anxiety for the people of J&K that our educated youth like doctors who should serve the people, are taking such a dreadful path and are preferring death over life. In such a situation, our Ulema and religious leaders like Mirwaiz and others should come forward and counsel the youth not to take this path," she said.

Mehbooba said post abrogation of Article 370, there has been an "atmosphere of fear and suffocation" in J&K but that did not justify people turning into human bombs.

"Undoubtedly, what happened in 2019, the way 370 was abrogated, the people have been pressured and arrests are taking place, there is an atmosphere of suffocation, but it does not mean that our youth become suicide bombers, give up their life and take others' lives, to fight that situation," she added.

The PDP president said while stern punishment should be given to those involved in the act of terror, there is no justification for dishing out collective punishment to the people of J-K.

"Nothing can be achieved by that. We feel the pain and difficulties of the victim families, including this family. But it does not mean that the common Kashmiris will have to face the ire.

"The doctor (Umar Nabi) not only took his own life or the lives of other innocents, but he has made the lives of the people of J&K very difficult," she said. PTI MIJ KVK KVK