Srinagar, Dec 02: Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Front and former minister, Hakeem Yaseen, has lauded the statement of the Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, R.R. Swain that “nobody will be allowed to damage or disrespect any religious community”. He commended the police chief for commitment to maintaining communal harmony for which Kashmir has been known for ages.
In a statement issued here, Hakeem expressed his regret over the recent incident at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar, describing it as unfortunate. He said that Kashmiris are inherently secular and peace-loving, and any attempt to disrupt the age-old communal harmony in Kashmir should be dealt with firmly.
Yaseen appreciated the DGP’s stance that elements hurting the religious sentiments of any community will face stringent action under the law. He urged the students to concentrate on their careers and avoid sharing videos, texts, or messages that may promote communal hatred.
He appreciated the DGP’s remark that the J&K police is duty-bound to ensure that nobody tries to show any disrespect towards Prophet Muhammad (SAW) or any religious group or community in an attempt to vitiate peace and fuel violence.
The former minister highlighted India’s diverse history, emphasizing that there was no room for extremism and religious fundamentalism. He urged citizens to avoid creating trust deficits in their relations with the general public, regardless of region, religion, creed, or color.
The PDF chief expressed concern about some political parties thriving on hate and pitching one community against another for maximizing their vote bank. He called for vigilance to prevent hate and bigotry from overshadowing brotherhood and tolerance, stating that humanity should take precedence over fringe elements promoting violence and societal division.
