By Fayaz Wani
Express News Service
08th April 2017
 |
File Image of Rohingya
Muslims. | AP
|
SRINAGAR: The issue
of Rohingya Muslim refugees and West Pakistan Refugees is turning into a Jammu
versus Kashmir after Jammu traders threatened to identify, catch and kill
Rohingya refugees living in the winter capital of the State and Kashmir traders
demanding that the same should be applied to West Pakistan Refugees, who are
living in the State since 1947 but are not State subjects.
Jammu Chamber
president Rakesh Gupta while addressing a press conference in Jammu on Friday
demanded deportation of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslim refugees.
He alleged that
these refugees are criminals and drug traffickers, who have been disowned by
their own country.
“The State
government and Central government should deport these people within a month.
The people on whose land these foreigners have settled should be booked under
PSA,” Gupta said.
He warned that if
government fails to deport them, then Jammu Chamber will launch “Identify,
catch and Kill Movement” against these refugees.
At least 5,743
Burmese nationals (Rohingya Muslims) are living in the State at present,
J&K government recently announced.
"No Rohingyas
has been found involved in militancy- related incidents. 17 FIRs have been
registered against 38 Rohingyas for various offences, including those relating
to illegal border crossings," the government has disclosed.
The Kashmir Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) strongly reacted to Gupta’s statement terming
his statement as uncalled for, irresponsible and divisive.
KCCI Secretary
General Faiz Ahmad Bakshi said the same yardstick should be applicable to West
Pakistan Refugees, who are living in the State since 1947 but are not state
subjects.
“Instead of
involving itself in activities beneficial for trade and commerce, Jammu Chamber
has taken upon itself the role of vigilantalism,” he said and asked Jammu
Chamber to immediately withdraw the statement otherwise be ready to face consequences.
Another
Kashmir-based trade organisation, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) chairman
Muhammad Yasin Khan said if Jammu traders feel unsafe due to Rohingya and
Bangladeshi Muslims why were they silent over the issue of West Pakistan
refugees.
“Why is Jammu
Chamber resorting to discrimination or is it simply part of the conspiracy to
eliminate Muslims from the map of J&K as happened in 1947,” he said.
Khan asked Chief
Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is also Home Minister, to get an FIR registered against
Jammu chamber for the statement with murderous intentions.
Meanwhile, MLA
Langate Engineer Sheikh Abdur Rashid’s party Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) on
Saturday registered a complaint in Rajbagh Police Station, Srinagar seeking the
lodging of an FIR against office bearers of Jammu Chamber for their threat to
kill Rohingya Muslims.
Reaction to the hue
and cry over their statement, Jammu Chamber secretary General Manish Gupta said
the issue of settlement of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims is not a trivial
issue but a great and planned security threat to internal security not only to
J&K but to India.
“These people have
crossed over into our borders illegally and should have been dealt with
according to the provisions available under law, which did not happen,” he
said.
Gupta said if these
refugees are not pushed back, it would result in rioting, which may lead to
loss of precious lives.
“As per Article 370,
they cannot be allowed to stay as refugees in J&K,” he said.
Without referring to
West Pakistan refugees, Gupta said getting Rohingyas and Bangladeshis settled
in Jammu is a matter of concern and the hidden agenda of unseen forces, whose
motive is to create a law and order situation.