Punish guilty, not people: CM
Srinagar, Nov 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday urged the Centre and security agencies to ensure that counter-terror operations and ongoing investigations into the Delhi blast do not lead to the stigmatisation of ordinary Kashmiri Muslims, even as he reiterated that those behind the attack must face the harshest legal action.
After visiting a Srinagar hospital to check on the people injured in the accidental explosion at Nowgam police station on Friday, CM Omar told reporters that he had raised this concern directly at the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Hyderabad on Monday.
The meeting, attended by the Union Home Minister, Union Home Secretary, Governors, Lieutenant Governors, and Chief Ministers of the northern states, discussed regional security and the recent terror module.
The CM said his submission at the meeting was that innocent civilians from J&K should not be viewed with suspicion merely because some individuals were involved in a terror plot.
“I have said this clearly — don’t look at every Kashmiri Muslim as a suspect,” he said. “Punish those who are responsible, but don’t brand the entire population.”
CM Omar said he had no hesitation in demanding the strictest punishment for those who orchestrated the Delhi blast.
The attack, carried out on November 10 near the Red Fort, claimed 15 lives and left several others wounded.
The CM stressed that the acts of a few cannot become grounds to vilify millions.
“Innocent people who have always spoken firmly against violence shouldn’t be dragged into this,” he said. “Let the guilty be booked, but let the innocent not suffer.”
Turning to the Nowgam Police Station blast, which killed nine persons - five Police personnel and four civilians - and injured 32, CM Omar described the incident as “deeply tragic”.
“Investigators were still working to determine what went wrong,” he said. “Questions on how such a large quantity of explosives entered the premises, where it was stored and how it was handled needed clear answers.”
The CM expressed condolences to the bereaved families and praised the hospital staff who responded instantly.
“The doctors and nurses didn’t wait for instructions. They saw the blast from their window, rushed ambulances to the spot, and began evacuating the injured before anyone else arrived. Their prompt action saved lives,” he said.
Four of the injured remain in the ICU.
On compensation, CM Omar said that the relief from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund had already been sanctioned for the families of the deceased.
“Damage assessment reports for affected houses were being prepared by local MLAs, and additional assistance would be sought from the Home Department and the Lieutenant Governor’s office since the blast occurred inside a Police Station compound,” he said.
The CM said he strongly favoured providing a government job to the family of tailor Muhammad Shafi Parray, one of the civilian victims.
“Earlier, it was known as the SRO scheme. The name has changed, but the principle remains the same. Families of those killed in such incidents are eligible for a government job. I will ask officials to fast-track his case,” he said.
Sharing their grief, CM Omar said the tragedy had claimed individuals who had served the public with honesty, courage, and dedication.
“Their loss is a loss for all of J&K,” he said, assuring that the administration would support the families in every possible way and that assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund would be extended to them.
The CM said that the government stood by the affected households in this “hour of immense pain” and prayed for strength for the families and a speedy recovery for the injured.
