Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the “act of terror done by a few people” has unfairly maligned the entire Kashmir Valley, creating an atmosphere where residents feel profiled and hesitant to interact with people outside the region. His remarks come after several suspects in the white-collar terror module , including doctors, linked to the suicide bomb attack near Delhi’s Red Fort were found to be from Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah said the Centre’s 2019 assurances of peace have not materialised, with bombings and civilian killings continuing.
"Kashmiris Being Maligned”
Abdullah said selective incidents had led to widespread profiling of Kashmiris. “A few people are responsible for it. But an atmosphere is being created that makes us all responsible,” he said. According to him, the stigma is now so deep that many Kashmiris fear stepping outside the Valley. He added that despite the Centre’s 2019 promise that “everything would stop” after reorganising Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, violence continues. “If it’s [terror attack] not happening in Delhi, then it is happening here [Kashmir],” he said.
“Driving A J&K Vehicle In Delhi Is Considered A Crime”
Highlighting the daily suspicion Kashmiris face, Abdullah said, “Driving a Jammu and Kashmir-registered vehicle in Delhi is considered a crime. I even have to think about whether to take out my car. I don’t know who will stop me and ask where I’m from and what I’m doing there.”He said families are now reluctant to send their children outside the Valley because “people everywhere suspect us”.
Farooq Abdullah’s Remarks On Operation Sindoor
Omar Abdullah’s father, Farooq Abdullah, stirred controversy on 15 November with comments following the Red Fort terror attack that killed 13 people. Referring to the doctors linked to the module, he said, “Ask those who are responsible, why did these doctors have to take this path? What was the reason? There is a need for a thorough investigation and study of this.” He also expressed worry about the possibility of “another Operation Sindoor” after the module was busted.
NIA Probing White-Collar Terror Network
Investigators are now examining the finances and administration of Faridabad’s Al-Falah Medical College, where all the terrorists, operating under the cover of practising doctors, worked before the white-collar module was unearthed.