Government Friday said that all the 17 Muslim youth that had been arrested for their alleged involvement in stone-pelting incidents in trouble hit Rajouri district were released on Friday morning.
“After 16 hours long meeting between the respectable citizens of both the Muslim and Hindu communities, the life in Rajouri has limped back to normalcy. Top Hindu leaders apologized and said that it was not their motive to offend the sentiments of the Muslim community,” Cabinet Ministers and well known politician of the Chenab Valley Chowdhary Zulifkar Ali told CNS and appealed traders bodies from Kashmir Valley to called off their proposed strike on July 25 Saturday.
Pertinently, Kashmir traders bodies including the both the factions of Kashmir Economic Alliance, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its affiliated associations, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation have jointly decided to observe Kashmir Bandh against the Rajouri incident on Saturday July 25. The activists of VHP and Bajrang Dal had set the IS flag bearing Islamic scriptures on fire, sparking wide spread protests in the district.
Chowdary Zulifkar Ali said that during the meeting between the two communities, the Hindu leaders namely Satpal Singh and Kuldeep Raj Gupta apologized for setting a flag with Islamic scriptures on fire. “Both these Hindu leaders clarified that not a single Hindu activist had the intention to hurt the Muslims and they were unaware that the IS flag carried ‘Kalima Toiba’. I vehemently appeal to the traders bodies from Kashmir to take their strike call, as this call may disrupt the peace again. We have sorted out everything and by Saturday, everything in Rajouri will be normal as both the communities have decided to resume their normal life,” he said.
Replying to a question, Chowdary Zulifkar Ali said that after the intervention of the government all the arrested Muslim youth have been released and the cases registered against them have also been taken back. “We have ordered a time bound inquiry that will be headed by ADC Rajouri. The Inquiry officer has been directed to submit its report within fifteen days,” he said. (CNS)
