Budgam, June 04 – Deputy Commissioner Budgam Mohammad Rafi, Legislators,. Nasir Aslam Wani,Aga Syed Rouhullah and some prominent Sikh leaders attended an inter-community meeting at Rangreth in Badgam, Kashmir to sort out misunderstanding that was caused between members of two communities there yesterday.
After discussing the matter with the representatives of the two communities, the misunderstanding was removed and people belonging to either community took out a procession to highlight mutual brotherhood. The procession passed through various villages with processionists raising slogans of amity and brotherhood.
Rafi also gave orders to assess the losses suffered during attacks on the houses of Sikh community and said the affected will be compensated.
It may mentioned here, a scuffle which started after a cricket match between youngsters took an ugly turn and led to communal clashes in Rangreth area of Budgam district.
Deputy Commissioner Budgam Rafi said a fight over a cricket match yesterday led to stone pelting in which a vehicle driven by a Sikh was damaged, who allegedly retaliated by beating some youngsters belonging to the Muslim community.
Later at night, a group of Muslim youth allegedly barged into the houses of Sikh community living in Rangreth and damaged vehicles and some household items.
Outraged, some members of the community then took shelter at a nearby gurudwara and threatened to migrate out of the Kashmir valley if Government did not take any action.
President of All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee Jagmohan Singh Raina alleged that many items like fridges and television sets, besides 18 vehicles were damaged.
Deputy Chairman of J&K Legislative Council, S. Arvinder Singh Micky and MLC, . T.S. Wazir have hailed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his timely intervention in solving the misunderstanding which arose between members of Muslim and Sikh communities at Rangreth yesterday. They also hailed the Muslims of Kashmir for flying high the flag of secularism in Kashmir valley by upholding the age-old tradition of Hindu-Muslim-Sikh bhai bhai.
In their statement, both the leaders praised the Chief Minister for his positive role and the Muslim community in removing the misunderstanding, amply reflected in the slogans of Hindu-Muslim-Sikh bhai bhai that were raised by members of both the communities on the occasion.
Meanwhile the attack on minority Sikhs in Rangreth, Budgam district of Kashmir Valley was strongly condemned by various organizations and leaders today.
.Shiromani Akali Dal and National Sikh Front have condemned incidents of attack on Sikhs and their religious places by some fundamentalists in Kashmir valley.
In a press statement issued here today, leaders of SAD (Badal) J&K, condemned the incident of attack by majority community on Sikh Gurdwara and at the residential places of minorities at Rangreth in Budgam. They said it is totally uncalled and unprovoked attack on the minorities to terrorise them. This shameful act has hurt the religious sentiments of the entire Sikh community, not in J&K but in the world.
" Such violence and attack without any substantial reasons are uncalled for and needed to be condemned by all right thinking people. This is simply an attempt to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the Valley. Such actions are under well conceived plan to send wrong message to the increasing tourists and pilgrims intending to visit Shri Amarnath Shrine," they maintained.
They urged the government to take effective steps and protect the minorities in Kashmir. They also warned of possible reaction from other parts of the country if such acts continued in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, National Sikh Front district president for Udhampur S Kulwant Singh Bhatti has also condemned the act of attack on a Sikh religious place and some houses of the minorities in Budgam alleged that some miscreants from the majority community even tried to disrupt the cremation of an old Sikh woman at village Didar Pura in Kashmir yesterday
All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference, general secretary, H L Chatta, Panun Kashmir convenor, Dr Agnishekhar, PKM president, Ashwani Chrungoo, Vichar Manch,senior vice president Dr R L Bhat have also strongly condemned the attack on Sikhs in Rangreth, Budgam district of Kashmir Valley.
In their separate statements they termed it a big conspiracy on the part of separatists and their supporters to rootout the remaining minorities from the Valley after harassing them.The KP leaders demanded security for minority in the Valley.
The Congress MLA and former Minister, Raman Bhalla while expressing his concern over the attack has termed it an unfortunate act. He appealed the people of Valley to maintain peace and amity at all costs. Bhalla also talked to D G P, Mr Kuldeep Khuda and urged him to ensure the security of minority Sikhs in Valley.
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