The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Monday alleged that Kashmiri students in several northern states are facing profiling, eviction and intimidation in the aftermath of the November 10 blast near Delhi’s Red Fort.
During a press conference in New Delhi on Monday, the student body’s National Convenor Nasir Khuehami said the fallout of the Delhi blast had spiralled into “collective suspicion” against Kashmiris, with reports emerging from universities and residential areas in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.
“A particular community is being singled out after the attack,” he said.
“Students are being harassed on campuses and in neighbourhoods. Some landlords have told Kashmiri tenants to vacate immediately. Many have left for home out of fear.”
The student body warned that sweeping suspicion and profiling could disrupt academic lives.
“Reports of aggressive questioning and verification drives have unsettled students. Many have left campuses abruptly, fearing stigma,” Khuehami said.
“Social media has amplified prejudice, portraying Kashmiris as latent threats. Such collective suspicion is unjust and dangerous,” he said.
Khuehami urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to “call off the vilification” of the community.
“Kashmiri students believe in India’s democracy and in the mainstream, not in terrorism,” PTI quoted Khuehami as saying. “But they are being profiled and vilified by authorities and local people across states.“
Khuehami added that the association had “no objection to any investigation” into the blast but urged the Union to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students and prevent “collective suspicion.”
“Kashmiris are as much a part of this country as any other citizen,” he said.
The blast near the Red Fort metro station on November 10 had left 13 persons dead. Two days after the explosion, the Union government described it as a “terrorist incident”. The doctor believed to have been driving the car that exploded was identified as Umar Nabi, a resident of Kashmir.
Since the explosion, police in Faridabad have checked more than 500 persons from Jammu and Kashmir as part of heightened security measures, PTI news agency reported.
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