Don’t single out J&K residents: Centre to states

The Centre on Thursday asked all states and union territories (UT) not to target people from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) for police reporting merely because they belonged to the state.

The issue was vociferously raised by chief minister Omar Abdullah.

The views of the chief minister were reflected by the three interlocutors appointed by the Centre for finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.
The advisory comes close on the heels of Mumbai Police issuing unsigned notice to its police stations asking them to keep a close watch on Kashmiri people.

In an advisory to all states and UTs, the ministry of home affairs asked them to exercise utmost sensitivity while making enquiry about residents of Jammu & Kashmir living in different parts of the country.

“It has also asked the states to issue appropriate instructions to all police stations that they [Kashmiris] should not be singled out unnecessarily for police reporting merely on grounds of their being original Kashmiri residents,” a ministry statement said.

Omar said the advisory will go a long way in creating a positive impact. “It is an important step which we have been striving for long. The advisory will create a positive impact and help sensitise  state governments towards J&K”, Omar told DNA.

—With PTI inputs