Kashmiri Pandits should not go, stay with us with Peace, Dignity: KCCI

Valley’s prominent business body Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Jamia Masjid, Anantnag, on Friday condemned the recent spate of killings, including those of members of minority communities and non-locals

Valley’s prominent business body Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Jamia Masjid, Anantnag, on Friday condemned the recent spate of killings, including those of members of minority communities and non-locals.

A KCCI spokesperson said it goes against the basic spirit and concept of Kashmiriyat. “As the fear has engulfed people, we stand with the innocents in this hour of grief, fear and insecurity,” said the spokesperson.

The pulpit of Jamia Masjid Anantnag resonated with the condemnations against the killings during Friday congregation. Eyewitnesses said that people vowed for protection of minorities during the Friday congregation prayers in the Jamia Masjid.

“If some Muslim is doing this thinking it was Jihad, then we condemn this Jihad. Islam does not allow any tyranny on any minority or a woman or if anybody is killed. I condemn this. The situation in Kashmir should not be vitiated,” said the Imam, Fayaz Amjadi. “Instead, we should take care of minorities…We are with the minorities. We are for their safety,” he said.

Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam also said they had been seeking the return of Kashmiri Pandits for three decades and Jammu and Kashmir’s main minority community “should not go and stay with us with peace and dignity”.

The Grand Mufti spoke strongly against violence as a means of solving any issue, noting that every killing is a heinous crime and people should not allow “miscreants to create an atmosphere of mistrust”.