A recent call by Kashmiri militants asking non-Kashmiri labourers to leave the valley has left the secessionist leadership divided as some groups, including the moderate Hurriyat Conference, have opposed the ultimatum saying there is no logic in issuing such edicts.
Chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, who was guarded in response, said before making any statements, the separatist leadership in Jammu and Kashmir should think about its effects on Kashmiris in other parts of the country.
"Several delegations of non-Kashmiri labourers have called on Hurriyat leadership and we have convened a meeting to discuss the issue threadbare. We have to weigh our words before making such sweeping statements," Mirwaiz told PTI.
Hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had asked the non-Kashmiri work force to leave the valley after the incident of rape-cum-murder of 14-year-old Tabinda Jan in Langate area of Kupwara district last week in which two such labourers were allegedly involved.
Geelani's call was supported by several militant outfits including Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
Although Geelani has softened his stand by calling for ouster of only criminals among the migrant labourers, thousands of non-Kashmiris who are earning their bread and butter in Kashmir for the past several years, have started heading home.
Mirwaiz said the ouster of these workers from Kashmir can have a negative impact on Kashmiris working or studying in other parts of the country.
"Most of the Kashmiris visit several parts of India in connection with trade or studies. If they are persecuted at societal level, it will have disastrous consequences," he added.
Condemning the inhuman incident at Langate, the Hurriyat cairman said the issue should not be politicised and used for cheap publicity stunts.
The president of Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Ahmad Shah said there was no logic in issuing such edicts against all non-Kashmiri labourers.
He said that a mechanism should be devised by local authorities to ensure that criminal elements from other parts of the country do not find refuge in the valley.
"All migrant labourers should be registered with some agency which should carry a background check on these persons... similar to the one carried out on people from Kashmir outside the state, so that anybody who employs them can rest assured that he is not hiring a criminal," Shah said.
Ironically, two largest mainstream political parties, the ruling People's Democratic Party and Opposition National Conference, have maintained an eerie silence over the issue.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had denounced as "negative thinking" the call to ouster non-Kashmiri work force from the valley.
"Those who raise such slogans should consider its fall out as tens of thousands of Kashmiris are working and pursuing studies in other parts of the country where they could face a similar reaction," Azad said, adding instead of politicising the issue, the focus should be on awarding an exemplary punishment to the criminals.
