Srinagar, Jan 29 — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said it was unacceptable that people from Kashmir fear for their lives in other parts of the country, asserting that J&K cannot be called an inalienable part of India if its residents are unsafe outside the region.
His remarks came after a teenage Kashmiri shawl seller was allegedly assaulted with iron rods in Uttarakhand following questions about his identity.
“This recent series of attacks — earlier in Himachal Pradesh and now in Uttarakhand — are unacceptable and must stop,” Abdullah said in a post on X.
“It can’t be claimed that J&K is an inalienable part of India while people from Kashmir, in other parts of the country, live in fear for their lives.”
He said the J&K government would intervene wherever necessary to prevent such incidents.
“My government will do whatever is needed to ensure these incidents are not repeated. I hope the Home Ministry will also sensitise other states on the same lines,” he added.
The Chief Minister said he spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and urged strict action against those involved in the assault.
Dhami, according to Abdullah, assured that an FIR would be registered and that the safety of J&K residents in the state would be ensured.
The assault on the Kashmiri youth is the latest in a series of attacks on people from the Valley reported in northern states in recent months.