Kashmiri students being targeted, why PM Modi is silent, asks Omar Abdullah

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged targetting of Kashmiri stidents in various parts of the country after the Pulwama attack.

Omar Abdullah/ Image: AFP

SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged targetting of Kashmiri stidents in various parts of the country after the Pulwama attack. Omar asked why the prime minister was silent on Kashmiri students being targeted in parts of the country. Addressing the media, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also said talks with Pakistan cannot be held in the backdrop of attacks such as the one in Pulwama last week. "Our PM has talked about a 'muh tod jawab' but such a reply is not possible in the current situation," PTI quoted Omar as saying. The National Conference leader also asked Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik to ensure the security of Kashmiri students who were forced to return home following alleged threats and attacks in various parts of the country in the wake of the Pulwama terror strike. Referring to the withdrawal of security to Kashmiri mainstream political leaders, he said it was a regressive step and he was not aware of anybody misusing security. "When we talk of dialogue (to resolve Kashmir issue), we are branded anti-national," Omar said. Forty security personnel were killed when a suicide bomber of Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed rammed a car laden with explosives into a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district last week. Incidents of violence against Kashmiris have been reported from parts of the country after the Pulwama terror attack.