SRINAGAR: People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday voiced grave concern over the alleged harassment of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, urging the Centre to view the issue as one of national security rather than isolated incidents.
Addressing a press conference, Lone said thousands of Kashmiris, particularly from north Kashmir districts such as Kupwara, have lived and worked across the country for decades and played a significant role in national integration. Quoting affected families, he asked, “If we are treated like this in our own country, then what is our status?”
He said that while a few arrests had been made, they were “only a drop in the ocean” compared to the scale of incidents being reported. Lone warned that such actions could undo decades of social and emotional bonds between Kashmir and the rest of the country, describing Kashmiri workers and residents as “ambassadors of integration” whose economic and emotional ties were now being damaged.
Calling for immediate intervention by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, Lone demanded that those targeting Kashmiris be booked under stringent laws, including the PSA or UAPA. He also appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take up the matter with chief ministers of the concerned states, cautioning that continued silence could have implications for law and order in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lone praised the people of Punjab for treating Kashmiris with dignity and respect, while noting that similar sensitivity was lacking in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Turning to the issue of reservation, Lone criticised the government’s recent measures as unjust and poorly assessed, saying the new policy was “not even worth the paper it is written on”. He argued that only district- or divisional-level recruitment could ensure fairness and accused successive governments of gradually undermining equitable representation.
He reiterated that his party’s position on reservation was clear, warning that any attempt to replace “Kashmiri A with Kashmiri B” would be dangerous and deeply divisive.
Kashmiri shawl sellers in multiple Indian cities are reportedly facing increasing harassment and profiling, with several vendors alleging that locals have been stopping them, forcibly checking their bags, and questioning them on suspicion of carrying weapons or explosives.
