Speaker accuses Rohingyas of aiding militants

Srinagar, Feb 10: J&K Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta on Saturday claimed that the attack on an army camp at Sunjwan in Jammu took place due to presence of Rohingya refugees in the area.
At least two army men and two children were killed while four army men sustained injuries after Fidayeen stormed the Sunjwan Army camp on outskirts of Jammu city on Saturday morning.
“The incident took place due to presence of Rohingyas in the area,” Gupta said.
News agency ANI also quoted Kavinder saying: “I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there & in a way government also accepts that number of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis is increasing & that they are a security threat.”
“I watched a live video, one can see Army area from rooftops there (where Rohingyas & Bangladeshis live), there is drug mafia running in those areas. For money some people have given them space to stay. Government must take note of this.”
BJP MLC, VikramRandhawa, on lines similar of Kavinder, told ANI: “Have been raising issue of Bangladeshis & Rohingyas living in surrounding areas of Jammu, illegally. They are increasing, if not stopped they’ll act as militant orgs’ shelter and this may also be connected to them, investigation must be done.”
The speaker’s remarks in the Assembly drew sharp reaction from the opposition, who accused him of targeting a particular community.
“The Speaker should apologize for his remarks. We will not allow the House to run until Speaker apologizes for his remarks,” the opposition demanded.
The entire opposition stormed into the well to protest against the Speaker’s controversial remarks.
Earlier, the BJP resorted to massive anti-Pakistan sloganeering in the House.
Amid the pandemonium, the speaker adjourned the House for ten minutes.
He, later, expunged his remarks on Rohingya Muslims after he was cornered by opposition members and the ruling PDP.
The legislators said the Jammu and Kashmir being a secular state cannot tolerate such remarks.
“Withdraw your statement,” they told the Speaker.
Veeri urged the Speaker to expunge remarks regarding the Rohingya Muslims.
CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that Speaker should not have made such remarks .
“Such comment can create more problems, somebody wants to divide our house and wants to create a grudge,” Tarigami said, adding that Speaker should apologise.
NC legislator DevendraRana said that “terrorism has no place in any civilised country. Terrorism has no religion. A terrorist is a terrorist.”