Demands accountability for Nowgam blast, calls for withdrawalof KPDCL’s ‘anti-people’ 20% power tariff proposal
SRINAGAR:Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq on Friday urged the authorities to ensure that harassment of Kashmiris studying and working in parts of India, following the Delhi blast, is immediately stopped.
“News of harassment keeps coming in from all over, which is very disturbing. Reports have come from Himachal and some other places where Kashmiris have been harassed, and in housing colonies, Kashmiris are being singled out and questioned simply because of their identity,” Mirwaiz said while speaking at the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid here.
He said it is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri people. “The targeting of people from Kashmir, which has put their lives in danger, must be immediately addressed,” he added.
Referring to the raids on the Kashmir Times office in Jammu, Mirwaiz remarked, “KT has a great legacy, which the current management is carrying forward, and resorting to such tactics is extremely unfortunate and uncalled for.”
Talking about the Nowgam blast in which more than nine people lost their lives, Mirwaiz described it as “an extremely painful incident, and it is heartbreaking that so many precious human lives were lost in this manner”. He added, “This tragedy could have been averted if seized material had been handled and stored responsibly.” He demanded accountability, saying, “It is imperative that those responsible for this preventable loss of life be held to account, and that the investigation be completed and made public soon.”
Mirwaiz also highlighted the KPDCL’s proposal to impose a 20% surcharge on power tariffs during peak hours. He called it “a grave injustice to the people,” asserting, “People are already struggling to survive amid an economic crisis, with businesses in decline, and increasing power tariffs before the onset of harsh Kashmir winters is heartless of the government.”
He criticized the move as “adding to the woes of the people instead of easing their problems,” and urged the government to “immediately withdraw this anti-people proposal.”
“Instead of fulfilling the commitment of providing 200 units of free electricity to the poor, new burdens are being placed on the common people,” he said.