Embrace Islam or leave Valley 
M Saleem Pandit
SRINAGAR: Sikhs in the Kashmir Valley have received anonymous letters from Islamic militants asking them to either embrace Islam and join the protests against civilian killings or pack up and leave the Valley. The 60,000-strong Sikh community is the single largest minority group in the Valley. An organisation of Kashmiri Sikhs said that several community members have received these letters. "Community members have received unsigned letters at various places," said All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (ASCC) coordinator Jagmohan Singh Raina. He said the community has decided to stay put and fight these "evil designs" at a meeting in Srinagar on Thursday. Raina quoted a letter as saying: "When you are enjoying the joys here, why can't you share the grief and sorrow of Kashmiris as well? We know you are afraid of bullets... Hold protests inside gurdwaras or leave Kashmir." He added, "Some letters have asked Sikhs to embrace Islam." Raina urged both factions of the Hurriyat, JKLF and PoK-based United Jihad Council to take serious note of the threats to maintain amity and brotherhood in the Valley. Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has reassured the Sikhs saying they shouldn't feel threatened and should ignore the "fake letters". He assured the community that nobody would force them to join the protests. Earlier, Geelani has made an emotional appeal against forcing minorities to join the protests and said harming them would be like "inflicting a wound on his (Geelani's) body". The state unit of Akali Dal (Badal) president Ajeet Singh Mastana described the threats as acts by anti-social elements. "The threats can't break us and reduce our love for our motherland," he said.
No need to fear: J-K govt, Hurriyat tell Sikhs
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government and separatist leaders have reassured Sikhs in the Valley are safe after the community allegedly received anonymous letters threatening them to either join protests or embrace Islam.
The anonymous letters have targeted 60,000 odd minority Kashmiri Sikhs.
"When these letters were thrown outside our houses at many places, we took note of this and met Hurriyat leaders. We met Geelani two times and he assured us support. The administration should take this seriously and assure us of protection," says All Kashmiri Sikh Coordination Committee Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina.
While the issue was taken up in Parliament where members sought protection of the Sikh community, the separatist leadership was quick to get their act together by condemning the incident
"Minorities have no threat in Kashmir. I have assured the Sikhs that they are part and parcel of Kashmiri society and Muslim community will continue to protect them," says Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
"The incident should be condemned. Some invisible forces are trying to create a division," says separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The Omar Abdullah government, grappling with the summer unrest, too assured the Sikhs of its total support.
Threat letters thrown outside gurudwaras have scared the Sikh community members but the assurance of protection from separatists and Omar government have prompted them to stay put and fight the divisive elements with the majority community.
No need to fear: J-K govt, Hurriyat tell Sikhs
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government and separatist leaders have reassured Sikhs in the Valley are safe after the community allegedly received anonymous letters threatening them to either join protests or embrace Islam.
The anonymous letters have targeted 60,000 odd minority Kashmiri Sikhs.
"When these letters were thrown outside our houses at many places, we took note of this and met Hurriyat leaders. We met Geelani two times and he assured us support. The administration should take this seriously and assure us of protection," says All Kashmiri Sikh Coordination Committee Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina.
While the issue was taken up in Parliament where members sought protection of the Sikh community, the separatist leadership was quick to get their act together by condemning the incident
"Minorities have no threat in Kashmir. I have assured the Sikhs that they are part and parcel of Kashmiri society and Muslim community will continue to protect them," says Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
"The incident should be condemned. Some invisible forces are trying to create a division," says separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The Omar Abdullah government, grappling with the summer unrest, too assured the Sikhs of its total support.
Threat letters thrown outside gurudwaras have scared the Sikh community members but the assurance of protection from separatists and Omar government have prompted them to stay put and fight the divisive elements with the majority community.
0 comments:
Post a Comment