PDP MLA Waheed Para on Sunday accused the Centre of adopting double standards amid crackdown in Kashmir after a policeman's killing, saying that compassion showed to protesting students at Delhi's Jantar Mantar was being denied to the Kashmiri youths.
The young leader from Pulwama was referring to the mass clampdown on suspected over ground workers of terrorists in the Valley, in which more than 3500 youths were detained for questioning after a policeman, who was on Amarnath Yatra security duty, was shot dead by terrorists in the Lal Chowk area of Anantnag in south Kashmir on Wednesday.
It was the first terrorist attack in the Valley since the Pahalgam terror attack last year.
"Around 2,500 Kashmiri youth have reportedly been picked up in the last few days. As the country welcomes the Government of India's decision to withdraw cases against student protesters elsewhere, one question remains: why is the same compassion denied to Kashmir's youth?" Para posted on his X handle.
"If reconciliation is the right path for young people in the rest of the country, why is it considered the wrong path for Kashmir?" Para asked.
He warned that applying different standards in Kashmir and rest of India risks further alienating the valley youth.
"Applying one standard to the rest of India and another to Kashmir sends a dangerous message and risks deepening alienation," Para added.
(With inputs from PTI)