Anger against Rohingya Muslims boils over in Jammu

Union home minister Rajnath Singh has sought a report from the state government

The attack on a Rohingya Muslim on Monday amid threats by pro-Jammu outfits brings to fore the pent-up anger against the migrant community from Myanmar that has taken shelter in the Hindu-dominated city.

On Monday evening, five masked men abused and assaulted Karim Ullah, 38, in the slum at Bohri, where 50-odd Rohingya families are settled. Police registered a first information report against the attackers but added that one migrant was targeted and there was no damage to property.

The attack comes three days after the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) issued a statement, announcing that it will “identify and kill” Rohingyas in Jammu if the government fails to deport them to Myanmar and Bangladesh within a month. Following criticism, the chamber claimed that its statement was “misconstrued by anti-national elements and all it wanted was to kill (read address) the issue”.

The attack has sparked off panic in the community, Mohammed Yousuf, 21, who was grateful to the people of his adopted home when he landed in Jammu in 2012, today harbours fear of another exodus. “Whatever happened at Bohri yesterday (Monday) has created panic among Rohingyas,” he says.

Till last December, the Rohingya Muslims, who work as

labourers and domestic helps, lived in harmony in Jammu.

Public anger was fuelled against the community last month when Jammu deputy commissioner Simrandeep Singh said that a Rohingya family that he raided had a voter identity card, Aadhar card and a permanent resident’s certificate. He did not rule out more families having government documents.

Jammu and Kashmir enjoys

special status under Article 370 of the Constitution; no Indian from any other state can buy property, including land or a house, and settle down here.

The PDP-BJP government in the state and the Narendra Modi

government at the Centre recently announced that they were exploring ways to deport the Rohingya Muslims from the state.

The issue was discussed at a meeting by home secretary Rajiv

Mehrishi, Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary Braj Raj Sharma and director general of police SP Vaid.