Srinagar, Feb 3: PDP legislator Waheed Ur Rehman Para on Tuesday moved an adjournment motion in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, seeking an urgent discussion on what he described as a rising wave of hate crimes, harassment, and targeted violence against Kashmiri students and workers in various parts of mainland India.
In a notice submitted to the Assembly Secretariat, Para requested the suspension of all other business in the House to address the matter, citing its “urgent public importance.”
The Pulwama MLA said credible reports have emerged from multiple states indicating that Kashmiri students living in hostels or rented accommodations, as well as labourers employed in factories, hotels, and small establishments, have faced verbal abuse, threats, forced evictions, physical assaults, and social boycotts solely because of their identity.
“These incidents have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among thousands of Kashmiri youth who travel outside the Union Territory for education and employment,” the notice read, adding that parents in Jammu and Kashmir are living under constant anxiety over the safety and dignity of their children.
Para said the issue concerns fundamental rights to life, liberty, equality, and dignity guaranteed under the Constitution, affects a large number of students and workers from Jammu and Kashmir, and has the potential to harm national integration and social harmony.
The PDP legislator further noted that despite assurances from authorities, incidents continue to be reported, suggesting that existing measures are “insufficient and reactive rather than preventive.”
Through the adjournment motion, Para sought immediate protection and security arrangements for Kashmiri students and workers across India, strict action against perpetrators of hate crimes, and the establishment of helplines, nodal officers, and safe accommodation facilities in vulnerable areas.
He also called for coordinated intervention by the Union Government and concerned state governments, emphasizing that the gravity of the situation warrants immediate discussion and cannot be deferred to routine legislative business. (Agencies)
