Srinagar, Oct 20: Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday alleged that an anti-Kashmiri environment had been created across India, claiming that Kashmiris were increasingly being treated as suspects and targeted in different states, particularly since 2019.
Talking to reporters, Ruhullah said the conditions Kashmiris had faced in Jammu and Kashmir after 2019 were now being experienced by people in other parts of the country as well. He alleged that it had become easier to target Kashmiris under BJP rule and accused the ruling establishment of intensifying such practices.
He said Kashmiris were facing multiple forms of hardship, referring to people languishing in jails, the loss of constitutional safeguards and restrictions affecting their lives. He also referred to the situation on highways in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the treatment of Kashmiris within the region reflected a wider pattern of hostility that was now visible elsewhere in India.
Ruhullah said that while democratic institutions and processes were being undermined, students and concerned citizens were attempting to revive democratic values through protests and public action. Referring to protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, he questioned the credibility of elections conducted under his leadership.
The National Conference MP called for Kumar’s resignation and demanded what he described as communal proceedings against him. He argued that the conduct of elections under the current Chief Election Commissioner had raised serious questions about their credibility.
Ruhullah also criticized the detention of activists who, he said, were raising their voices against what he termed dictatorship. He said the targeting and detention of those challenging the establishment further reflected the pressure on democratic dissent. [KNT]
