Pulwama attack fallout: Kashmiri students in Delhi fear for their security
New Delhi : Several Kashmiri students here said they were in a state of fear after reports of alleged harassment of Kashmiris following the Pulwama terror attack, even as police asserted that security had been enhanced in the national capital and they would ensure the safety of all citizens.
According to media reports, several Kashmiris living outside the state claimed they were harassed and attacked after the terrorist attack in Pulwama district in which 40 CRPF men were killed.
A Kashmiri student from Jamia Millia Islamia, who did not wish to be identified, said, "Just the fact that one is a Kashmiri, irrespective of his ideology or leanings, is enough to put one's life to risk. It is happening across the country. Kashmiri students are being harassed and hounded, be it Dehradun, Ambala or Bangalore. We really fear for our security here too."
JNU activist Shehla Rashid, who hails from Kashmir, said, "Throughout India, mobs are attacking Kashmiri students, verbally abusing them, asking for them to be expelled and filing false cases against them. The pretext being given in each case is that they said Pakistan Zindabad and even police is buying into these false claims."
Noting that it was happening in other cities and it could happen in the national capital too, she said there was an intense sense of fear of mob lynching among students.
Anis Ahmed, a Kashmiri student at Delhi University, said, "We are not at all reacting on social media to any abuses which are being hurled at us even if we are being labelled as terrorists. Students who are staying on rented accommodations rather than hostels are even more scared about their safety".
Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma tweeted that security had been strengthened all across the national capital, including minority dominated areas.
"Visibility of police personnel has been increased. We'll ensure the safety and security of every citizen, including Kashmiri inhabitants and students living in Delhi," he said.
Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam also condemned the alleged attacks on Kashmiris.
"What kind of hatred and frenzy is being spread in the name of religion? The country has not even recovered from the Pulwama attack that reports of ill-treatment of Kashmiris have started pouring in," he tweeted.
Gautam further said the perpetrators of these attacks were not patriots.
The Home Ministry had on Saturday issued an advisory to all states and Union territories to take measures to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiris.
The advisory came hours after Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured an all-party meeting of doing the needful for the protection of the Kashmiri students and people who were allegedly threatened after the terrorist attack.
Some Kashmiri youths studying in Uttarakhand's Dehradun alleged that they were harassed and asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations fearing attacks on their properties in the aftermath of the attack.
A Kashmiri student studying in a Bengaluru college was Saturday arrested for allegedly hailing the Jaish terrorist while another from Dehradun was booked for allegedly sending WhatsApp messages supporting the Pulwama suicide attack.
CRPF Madadgaar, the central force's helpline had on Saturday night tweeted, "Kashmiri students and general public, presently out of Kashmir, can contact @CRPFmadadgaar on 24x7 toll free number 14411 or SMS us at 7082814411 for speedy assistance in case they face any difficulties/harassment".
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
