Amid safety threat to Kashmiris, Omar ministers reach out to states
In a move to ensure the safety of Kashmiris across the country following the Pahalgam attack, all cabinet ministers from Jammu and Kashmir are visiting various states and urging local authorities to closely monitor institutions where students from the Union Territory are enrolled.
Following the tragic attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, reports surfaced of alleged assaults on Kashmiri students at different locations across India. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed his cabinet ministers to visit Punjab, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, among other states, to oversee the safety of Kashmiris.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary visited Mumbai on Saturday, where he met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the security of Kashmiri residents working or studying in the state. Thousands of Kashmiri students and members of the business community reside in Maharashtra.
Health and Medical Education Minister Sakeena Itoo reached Chandigarh, where she met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria at the Raj Bhavan. During the interaction, Itoo raised several issues concerning the safety and security of J&K students and the business community. She requested the Governor to take concrete measures to instill a sense of security among Kashmiris.
The Governor assured full cooperation and stated that the Punjab and Chandigarh administrations would ensure the safety and security of all J&K residents and students. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav and Chandigarh DGP Surendra Singh Yadav were also present during the meeting.
Later, Itoo also met Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha to discuss the situation of J&K residents in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. She urged Sinha to take prompt steps to restore confidence among Kashmiri students and business owners currently residing in Punjab and Chandigarh.
Meanwhile, Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana visited Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and interacted with students and members of the business community from J&K. He assured them that their safety remains a top priority for the Union Territory government.
Similarly, Minister for Transport, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Satish Sharma visited Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and interacted with Kashmiri students to address their concerns. Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar visited Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to assure safety of Kashmiris.
An official spokesperson informed that the contact information of all visiting ministers has been circulated among students and the business community, enabling them to reach out for assistance in case of any safety concerns.
