Omar Abdullah Defends Kashmir: "Not Every Kashmiri Muslim Is a Terrorist" Following Delhi Blast Investigation

Jammu:

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has emphatically stated that not every Kashmiri Muslim should be labeled a terrorist, expressing concern about potential discrimination against people from his Union territory following the recent Delhi explosion. The blast near Red Fort Metro Station on November 10 claimed 13 lives and left approximately two dozen injured.

Addressing journalists in Jammu this morning, Abdullah strongly condemned the violent incident, emphasizing that no religious belief can justify such brutal attacks on innocent civilians.

"We must acknowledge an important fact. Not every resident of Jammu and Kashmir is involved with terrorism or has terrorist connections. Only a small minority have consistently disrupted peace and communal harmony in our region. When we view all J&K residents and Kashmiri Muslims through a singular lens and assume they are all terrorists, we make it incredibly difficult to guide people toward the right path," he stated.

His comments follow the detention of several Kashmiri doctors in connection with the i20 car explosion in Delhi. The investigation revealed Dr. Umar Mohammad (who drove the i20) and Dr. Muzammil are from Pulwama, while Dr. Adeel Rather hails from Anantnag. Investigators have uncovered their connections to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the Pakistan-based terrorist organization.

The Chief Minister called for severe punishment for those responsible for the blast while protecting innocent individuals. When questioned about the suspects' professional backgrounds as doctors, he responded, "Haven't we seen university professors involved in such activities before? Who claims educated individuals don't participate in these actions? They certainly do."

Abdullah also raised questions about the "security failure" that allowed the blast to occur, particularly why no thorough investigation was conducted after one doctor linked to the attack had previously been dismissed from his position. "I'm disturbed that despite their job termination, what kind of follow-up investigation was performed? Why weren't charges filed? Our role is supporting the central government in maintaining normalcy, which we are committed to doing," the Chief Minister remarked.

Dr. Muzammil, Dr. Adeel, and another doctor, Shaheen Saeed from Lucknow, are currently in police custody. They previously worked together at Al Falah University in Faridabad, where authorities believe the bombing conspiracy originated.