J-K leaders demand strict action after Kashmiri trader ‘assaulted’ in Uttarakhand

Srinagar, Dec 25 Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday expressed concern over the reports of assault on a Kashmiri trader in Uttarakhand, and urged the state administration to take legal action against the perpetrators. National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha MP Ruhullah Mehdi said coercing any citizen to prove patriotism through compelled speech violates constitutional freedoms. “Reports from Uttarakhand indicating that a Kashmiri trader was assaulted for refusing to chant a slogan on religious grounds are deeply troubling. “Coercing any citizen to prove patriotism through compelled speech violates constitutional freedoms and human dignity,” Mehdi said in a post on X. The alleged incident came to light after a purported video of it was shared online. The Kashmiri vendor was reportedly seen being assaulted by a group of five men who abused and thrashed him for refusing to chant “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. The Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar said national loyalty cannot be enforced through intimidation, nor can it replace accountability, governance and the rule of law. “We urge the Uttarakhand government to ensure strict legal action against those responsible and guarantee the safety and rights of Kashmiri traders across the state,” the MP said. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti urged the Uttarakhand Police chief to ensure a case is registered so that the perpetrators are held accountable. “Bilal Ahmad, a shawl seller, was brutally assaulted by right-wing goons in Kashipur, Uttarakhand. Despite approaching the Pratappur Goshala police station, no FIR has reportedly been registered so far. “(I) Urge the DGP Uttarakhand to kindly intervene and ensure that an FIR is registered so that the perpetrators are held accountable, and such incidents are not repeated in the future,” Mufti said on X. Mufti’s daughter and PDP leader, Iltija Mufti, said Mahatma Gandhi’s India “is on the verge of death”. “Bajrang Dal workers thrashed a Kashmiri shawl trader only because he refused to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Bajrang Dal, along with RSS, is a metastatic cancer that is making India sick. Gandhi’s India is on the verge of death,” Iltija Mufti said in a post on X.PTI