New Delhi, Feb 3, KNT: Rajya Sabha member Sajad Kitchloo on Tuesday raised the issue of alleged targeting and harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers in different parts of the country, using the floor of the Upper House to question the broader political and civil rights situation faced by Kashmiris.
Kitchloo as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust said repeated incidents involving shawl sellers reflected a disturbing trend in which Kashmiris were being treated with suspicion and hostility outside the Union Territory. He asked whether Kashmiris were expected to live under constant fear and whether there was any place left for them in the country without facing intimidation.
Expanding his remarks beyond the immediate issue, the MP criticised the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the region had been divided unilaterally with Ladakh separated from it, despite earlier claims of preserving unity. He questioned the government over its repeated assertions regarding Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, asking what had become of those commitments.
Referring to the decision of August 5, 2019, Kitchloo said the move was illegal and would be regretted in the future. He said the promise of a united Jammu and Kashmir had been replaced by division, which, according to him, had deepened political and social alienation.
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The Rajya Sabha member also flagged concerns over civil liberties, alleging that journalists who question authority were being harassed and religious clerics subjected to profiling. He cautioned that suppressing dissent and targeting voices critical of power could not sustain democratic governance.
Kitchloo said the issues being raised were grounded in reality and warned that the consequences of ignoring them would eventually become evident. His remarks added to the ongoing parliamentary debate on the political, social and rights-related implications of decisions taken with regard to Jammu and Kashmir.
[KNT]
