Hotel in Agra says no rooms for Kashmiris after Pulwama attack

A hotel in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra has said it will not give rooms to Kashmiris in their establishment, days after the Pulwama attack, drawing criticism from representatives of tourism bodies who have sought intervention by the police and administration against the step.

The decision of the hotel came after the attack on February 14 by a 22-year-old Pulwama resident Adil Ahmad Dar, who blew up his car bomb next to a CRPF bus, killing 40 troopers in the deadliest terrorist incident in the region in decades.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group claimed responsibility within hours of the attack, triggering calls for India to take tough measures against the neighbour. Jaish founder Masood Azhar lives in Pakistan and India has repeatedly sought his custody.

Manager of the hotel Firdaus Ali justified the pamphlets issuing the restriction and said he took the step as Kashmiris were against India’s defence forces and pelt them with stones in Kashmir.

“How can we welcome those who attack our army jawans? We are open to them if they change their attitude towards our army men in Kashmir,” Ali, who runs the hotel at Idgah area in the city of the Taj Mahal with his bother, said.

Ali said he was not the only one as about a dozen hotels in the area had taken similar decisions.

Rakesh Chauhan, the president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Agra, condemned the move. Chauhan admitted he had come to know about two hotels in Idgah area which had decided to deny rooms to Kashmiris.

He said he has asked the local police and district administration to intervene.

“Kashmiris are our brothers and in no way, the move can be justified. Terrorism is affecting Kashmir but residents there cannot be blamed for violence. We have to act against terrorists and not against Kashmiris there,” Chauhan said while speaking to the Hindustan Times.

Agra Sadar’s additional superintendent of police, who is responsible for the Idgah area, Uday Raj Singh he is unaware of the pamphlets.

”We are yet to come across any such restriction placed by hotels,” Singh said.

The police official said he was not clear if police could intervene in such a matter.

Kashmiris in some parts of the country have reported threats and intimidation since the attack. Several Kashmiri students have been arrested and suspended from their colleges for alleged “anti-national” activities. Some have even alleged they were harassed and asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations, fearing attacks on their properties after the strike in Pulwama.

First Published: Feb 20, 2019 12:08 IST