‘Boycott Kashmiris’: Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy’s tweet sparks row, Omar Abdullah has a question

Tathagata Roy posted a tweet citing a retired colonel to endorse boycott of Kashmiris in the wake of Pulwama terror attack.

Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy has sparked a controversy again with his tweets. Citing a retired colonel, without disclosing the officer’s identity, Roy said he is “inclined to agree” to boycott Kashmiri traders in other parts of the country and tourism in the state.

Roy wrote on Twitter, “An appeal from a retired colonel of the Indian Army: Don’t visit Kashmir, don’t go to Amarnath for the next 2 years. Don’t buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri. I am inclined to agree.”

Roy’s comments on the micro-blogging site drew sharp reaction from former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah. He said, “These are the bigots driving Kashmir over the abyss. While you are at it, Tathagata why don’t you stop using our rivers to generate your electricity as well?”

Roy’s comment has come in the view of terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, where a CRPF convoy was attacked by terrorists killing at least 40 soldiers. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed that a local recruit targeted the CRPF convoy that was carrying more than 2,500 jawans from Jammu to Srinagar.

One the tweets posted by Roy appeared to suggest that the Indian Army should emulate the acts of abuse that the Pakistan Army unleashed on the people of Bangladesh before its liberation in 1971 war.

He said, “The Pakistan Army (who are handling the Kashmiri separatists) was among their own in East Pakistan in 1971. They slaughtered and raped right and left. And they would have kept EP but for the whacking from India. I am not suggesting that we go that far. But at least some distance?”

Responding to Roy’s tweets, Abdullah wrote on Twitter, “People like Tathagata want Kashmir but without Kashmiris. They’d sooner see us driven in to the sea. He’ll be best placed to know he can’t have one without the other so what’s it to be?”