Kashmir — Sikh community should come forward and defend the honor of Kashmiri girls as their “religious duty”, as the people who are targeting these girls also targeted the Sikh girls in 1984 riots, said the Sikh preacher of the powerful Akal Takht group on Friday.
Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh of Akal Takht urged the Sikhs to defend the honor of Kashmiri girls who are being humiliated by BJP politicians and others on social media after Article 370 and 35A has been revoked by Indian Government, IndianExpress newsagency reported.
“Kashmiri women are part of our society. It is our religious duty to defend their honour. Sikhs should come forward to protect the honour of Kashmiri women. It is our duty and it is our history,” Mr. Singh said.
Without any direct mention of who the mob is, he said “the same mob” who is targeting the Kashmiri women also targeted Sikh women during 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
“God has given equal rights to all human beings and it is a crime to differentiate against anyone on the basis of gender, caste or religion. The kind of commands given by elected representatives on social media against the girls of Kashmir after the removal of special status under Section 370 are not only defamatory but also unforgivable,” he said.
“The manner in which some people are posting pictures of Kashmiri daughters on social media has hurt India’s image. Such comments objectify women. At the same time, these people have forgotten that a woman is also a mother, daughter, sister and a wife. It is women who has the power of creation”, he added.
IndiaToday reported on Saturday, Haryana’s Chief Minister Lal Khattar created controversy with his statement that, “Now we can bring Kashmiri girls for marriage.”
In an aftermath of the abolition of Article 370, social media is buzzing with defamatory comments against Kahsmiri girls.