Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: The issue of alleged harassment of Kashmiri students and workers outside Jammu & Kashmir is being deliberately weaponised for political gain. Instead of acting responsibly, certain political parties, leaders, and affiliated student bodies are inflaming tensions through provocative and misleading statements, turning minor and routine issues into exaggerated claims of persecution, while at the same time defending or justifying involvement in grave crimes such as terrorism. This was stated by Girdhari Lal Raina, spokesperson of BJP and former MLC.
This reckless conduct is doing more harm than good, he opined. GL Raina stressed that By promoting a narrative of constant victimhood, these leaders are discouraging Kashmiri students and workers from behaving as responsible citizens, and are making their adjustment in other states more difficult. The double standards are glaring—while respect for “local sentiments” is demanded from students and employees from other states in Kashmir, similar respect is conveniently ignored when Kashmiris reside elsewhere in the country, he added.
What is deliberately suppressed in this narrative is that students from other states studying in Kashmir have frequently reported intimidation, physical altercations, faculty bias, and lack of institutional support, forcing many to leave campuses due to insecurity , BJP spokesperson alleged. Such incidents rarely attract outrage from the same political voices, exposing their selective and self-serving concern, he continued.
GL Raina without hesitation stated clearly that verified incidents of harassment do occur, both in Kashmir and outside it, particularly during periods of heightened tension. However, blanket accusations and manufactured hysteria only weaken genuine cases and create unnecessary fear.
Certain organisations, including the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), which claim to receive frequent distress calls, have also faced serious questions regarding political motives and credibility, he added. Police authorities across several states have repeatedly clarified that actions like tenant verification or questioning are routine security measures based on specific inputs, not acts of targeting. Ex-MLC explained that State governments and political leaders across party lines have consistently appealed for calm and restraint while assuring the safety of students—a maturity that is regrettably missing among many Kashmir-centric leaders.
GL Raina stressed that Leaders from Jammu & Kashmir must understand that rights come with responsibilities. Students and workers must be educated to respect local laws, customs, and national sentiment in the same manner they expect others to respect theirs. Religious sentiment cannot be used as an excuse to evade national duty. Refusal to affirm national unity or symbols cannot be justified.
Expectations of special treatment are neither reasonable nor acceptable. Governments have repeatedly demonstrated fairness and commitment towards students from Jammu & Kashmir—during wars, the COVID-19 pandemic, and evacuations from crisis zones—treating them as equal citizens of India. This goodwill must be acknowledged, not politicised.
The way forward lies in responsible leadership, balanced discourse, and national unity, not in fear-mongering and political exploitation. Playing with emotions may suit narrow political agendas, but it endangers students, deepens divisions, and weakens the fabric of the nation.
