Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, ministers Sakina Itoo and Javed Dar Saturday visited various cities across the country Saturday in the wake of reports about harassment of Kashmiri students and businessmen in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The purpose of these visits is to coordinate efforts with the different state governments and ensure the safety and well-being of J&K residents.
According to an official press release, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary today met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai and expressed satisfaction over the measures taken by Maharashtra government for the safety of J&K residents.
The Deputy Chief Minister also interacted with students, businessmen and professionals working in Maharashtra to instill a sense of security among them, the press release said.
It said during the meeting, Choudhary emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of J&K residents living in Maharashtra. He urged Shinde to take all necessary steps to safeguard their wellbeing in view of recent concerns.
In response, Shinde assured his full support and reiterated that both the government and people of Maharashtra stand firmly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to protect and support them.
Acting on the instructions of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary also held separate meetings with students from various colleges and universities, private sector employees, and businessmen to personally enquire about their wellbeing and any safety concerns. He also met with senior police officials as well.
He reaffirmed that the safety of J&K residents remains top priority for the government, stating, “We will go the last mile to ensure the safety and welfare of our people.”
Choudhary emphasized that the Omar Abdullah government is deeply concerned about the wellbeing of its people and is committed to ensuring their security at all times.
He assured the community that there is no need for fear or anxiety, emphasizing, “Our government is available 24×7 to assist you.”He also advised students and other residents to contact the official helpline numbers circulated by the administration in case of any assistance.
“J&K Cabinet Minister @sakinaitoo met Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT of Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria (@Gulab_kataria) to discuss the issues of J&K students, business community and other individuals in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack.
“@DGPPunjabPolice and @DgpChdPolice were also present on the occasion. The Minister asked both the DGPs to take immediate steps for instilling a sense of security among the students and J&K residents currently staying in Punjab and Chandigarh,” the Information department of the government of J&K posted on X, without elaborating.
The government said Itoo also met the Chief Secretary of Punjab, K A P Sinha, to discuss the issues of J&K residents.
The minister requested the chief secretary to take steps to restore the sense of security among J-K students and the business community currently in Punjab and Chandigarh.
Earlier, a Kashmiri student had claimed that she was harassed by some locals in Punjab’s Mohali, prompting the Punjab State Women Commission to take suo motu cognisance of the incident.
The female Kashmiri student in Kharar stated that some locals abused and harassed her and her friend on Wednesday following the attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in Pahalgam town.
Members of Abdullah’s council of ministers have also reached other cities as well. Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmed Rana has arrived in Lucknow, the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Sports, Satish Sharma reached Dehradun, while Minister Javed Dar reached Shimla.
Dar called on Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu iN Shimla and urged him to ensure the safety and security of the Kashmiris working in the state.
Condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, he said the entire Jammu and Kashmir observed a bandh in protest against the incident, with women, students and children taking to the streets.
“Terrorists are beasts and should be punished. ‘Akrosh’ (anger) should be against those involved in the gruesome attack on innocent and unarmed tourists and they should be taken to task,” Dar told PTI.
Referring to the propaganda against Kashmiris on social media platforms, he said, “India is a big country and all kinds of people — good and bad — are there. People with a positive mindset understand the situation and tourism would be revived.”
Later, in a statement issued, Sukhu said the people of Himachal Pradesh are peace-loving and deeply committed to the values of brotherhood and harmony. He said his government will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and protection of the Kashmiris residing in the hill state.
Minister for Transport and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Satish Sharma today met Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami to discuss the issues of J&K students and business community.
During the meeting, Satish Sharma briefed Dhami about the purpose of visit to Uttarakhand. He informed him that J&K government and people of Jammu and Kashmir have strongly condemned the recent barbaric attack on tourists.
A telephonic conversation was also held between the CM of Uttarakhand and CM of J&K during the meeting. The Uttarakhand CM assured that all students from Jammu & Kashmir are completely safe in the state, and the government is fully committed to provide them with all the required support and assistance.
The Uttarakhand CM emphasized that the state government is making every effort to ensure a bright future for the students, an official press release informed.
It said earlier, Sharma held a series of meetings with the Uttarakhand administration in Dehradun to address the concerns of students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in various universities and professional colleges, as well as businessmen operating in the city, besides individuals from J&K.
During his interactions and deliberations, Sharma raised several issues related to the safety and security of the J&K students and business community, especially in the wake of the recent tragic attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the administration to take proactive measures to instil a sense of security among the affected groups.
The Dehradun administration assured the Minister of full cooperation and assured him the safety and well-being of all residents and students from Jammu and Kashmir in Dehradun.
As part of his visit, Sharma personally interacted with a cross-section of J&K students and business professionals based in Dehradun and nearby areas. He also connected with several students, businessmen, labourers, travellers etc over the phone to address their concerns, given the prevailing situation.
Based on the feedback obtained from by these individuals, Satish Sharma discussed the same with the concerned authorities of the Uttarakhand for immediate redressal.
Later, Sharma also visited DIT University, Maya Devi University, UPES University, the Wildlife Institute of India and several other institutions in Dehradun to discuss security concerns of students with college Administrations. He also interacted with students from J&K in these universities.
He requested the University, College and Higher Education authorities to take immediate steps for the welfare and security of J&K students in their respective colleges.
