Image Source: Agencies

New Delhi, July 29, 2025: On Monday night, Aga Syed Ruhullah, a member of parliament from Srinagar, expressed concern about how civilians in Jammu and Kashmir were treated following the terror attack in Pahalgam.

This came during the ongoing discussions that are taking place in the Lok Sabha regarding Operation Sindoor. His speech, which was interrupted by a small number of attendees, focused on what he said were institutions' and agencies' disproportionate actions against locals after terrorist attacks.

Ruhullah mentioned that Jammu and Kashmir strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack. He stated that in the Valley, mourners held protests against the heinous terrorist act and shut down shops and businesses to show their support for the victims. He emphasized that Kashmiris showed a collective rejection of terrorism and shared the families' grief.
However, he criticized the security response that followed, claiming that some institutions focused on ordinary citizens rather than external threats like the terrorist threat. He claimed that, without a clear legal basis, several suspects' houses were destroyed and approximately 2,000 locals were detained following the attack. Ruhullah further stated that Kashmiris continue to face routine checks and suspicion, citing examples of increased scrutiny and police action after past incidents such as those in Pulwama and Uri.

He also expressed concern regarding reports of harassment of Kashmiri students and businesspeople in a number of other states, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. The Srinagar MP questioned democratic principles of equal citizenship by asking whether security measures were taken in accordance with the law or out of prejudice. His remarks were cut short as a result of the Speaker's interventions and protests from other House members.