KCCI condemns Jammu counterpart's statement on Rohingyas

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) today condemned the controversial statement made by the president of its Jammu counterpart on Rohingya refugees, terming it irresponsible and divisive.
"The KCCI strongly condemns the statement made by the president of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIJ) wherein it threatened to identify, catch and kill Rohingya refugees in Jammu," Faiz Ahmad Bakshi, Secretary General, KCCI said here.
Bakshi said the CCIJ should immediately withdraw the statement or be ready to face "consequences".
"The KCCI terms the statement uncalled for, irresponsible and divisive and warns that same could be applicable to the West Pakistan Refugees as well," he said.

"Instead of involving itself in activities beneficial for the trade and commerce, CCIJ vigilantismhas taken upon itself the role of vigilantism," the KCCI said.
The CCIJ yesterday threatened to launch a movement against illegal foreign settlers if the state and central governments failed to act against them.

"We warn the state and the union governments that such (foreign) settlers should be deported within one month and the people on whose land these foreigners have settled be booked under public safety act otherwise the Chamber shall have no option but to launch a movement against them directly", CCIJ President Rakesh Gupta told reporters.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami termed the statement inhuman, and called upon the government to deal with the situation as per law.
"Refugee issue is always a human issue and must be dealt humanly. In our state, there are different types of refugees and they are all outcome of tragedies. The highly provocative statement of Jammu chamber smells communal and it has the potential to turn the situation communal," Tarigami said.
He said the statement from CCIJ was "barbaric, criminal and highly inhuman".
It can create new controversies and have serious and harmful implications for the state, he added.

"Government must act and charge the people who made this sort of highly provocative statement against the refugees," he said.