Omar Abdullah blasts 'RSS-Bajrang Dal goons' for attack on Kashmiri vendors in Lucknow

Following the attack on Kashmiri vendors in Lucknow on Wednesday evening, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that such incidents will do more harm to the idea of India in Jammu and Kashmir than anything else. “Nothing will do more damage to the idea of India in J&K than videos like these. Keep thrashing Kashmiris like this on the streets at the hands of RSS/Bajrang Dal goons & then try to sell the idea of ‘atoot ang’ (integral part), it simply won’t fly,” Abdullah said in a series of tweets.

The former chief minister was reacting to a video in which two Kashmiris were being seen thrashed by a group of men in Lucknow.

“Dear PM @narendramodi Sahib, this is what you had spoken against & yet it continues unabated. This is the state governed by your handpicked Chief Minister. Can we expect action in this case or do we file your concern & assurances as a jumla, meant to placate but nothing more?” Abdullah asked.

Abdullah posed a question to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who represents the Lucknow seat in Lok Sabha, that if he would step in to deliver the justice in this case.

“Jenab @rajnathsingh Sahib. You represent this constituency in the Lok Sabha, this is the constituency where Vajpayee Sb was elected from & went on to be PM. If no one else will step in & deliver justice can we expect you to punish those guilty of this assault?” he added.

wo Kashmiri vendors, who were selling dry fruits on a busy Lucknow road, were thrashed by a group of men belonging to a right-wing organisation. The perpetrators filmed the assault on their mobile phones. In a video shared by one of the accused, they are heard saying that they did it because they belonged to Kashmir. One of the accused has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police after the video of the incident went viral.

The incident took place on Wednesday evening in Daliganj area of Central Lucknow when a handful of saffron-clad men started beating the traders. Seeing no police on spot, the bystanders came to the rescue of the traders and stopped the group from further assault.

Later, the police registered a case of rioting and breach of peace and arrested one of the accused men. "A case has been filed in the Hazratganj police station. A search is on for the accused. An investigation will be done," police officer Amit Kumar said.

However, the main accused, president of Vishwa Hindu Dal, has not been arrested yet and continues to post updates on social media. Following the outrage, the video of the incident has been taken down.