As Kashmiris in various Indian states faced backlash, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack which took place on February 19, 2019, killing at least 45 CRPF men, the Sikh community at various places openly came to the rescue of the Kashmiri people in Punjab and Jammu.
Many social, political, and religious personalities expressed their desire to help Kashmiris in various parts of India as they were being intimidated, asked to leave ‘India’ immediately. The unruly mobs also assaulted Kashmiris and forced them to quit studies and business.
Amid this hubbub, Lubna Sayed Qadri, a human rights activist jumped into action and set up a WhatsApp group and helpline numbers and got in touch with a few journalists, activists who provided her a live tracker of the attacks on Kashmiris at several places throughout India.
Lubna working for Human rights for the past five years, gathered a list of her contacts and assembled them through WhatsApp where a live tracker was run about Kashmiris being intimidated in various parts of India.
“The Attacks were anguishing, people were being punished for something that they had not done, it certainly caused panic and distress, I wanted to help fellow Kashmiris in this hour of need,” Lubna told The Kashmiriyat adding that as soon as her number got public people voluntarily expressed their desire to help Kashmiris stranded in various parts of India.
A Kashmiri man who was in Delhi for some work had been thrashed by a group of five to six people and while he was being assaulted he lost his wallet, she said. “He called me and within minutes, I arranged some money to help him travel back home,” Lubna said.
Lubna also gathered volunteers around India and got in touch with a few NGOs and other prominent activists who provided shelter to intimidated Kashmiris. “We provided shelter to dozens of people at the houses of my friends and colleagues,” She said.
The group she set-up also got in touch with Lawyers at certain places who bailed Kashmiri students who had been arrested by Police in various states, she said. “Some of them are still in jail, but most have been bailed out,” Lubna told The Kashmiriyat.
A resident of Budgam district in Central Kashmir, 30-year-old Lubna, did not want her story to be told. “There are hundreds of Faceless people, who came forward in this hour of need,” she said after being insisted that her story needs to be told.
The group also arranged transportation for Kashmiris stranded at a university in Ambala and got them to a nearby safer location. ”Around 100 Students were safely transported to nearby safer areas,” she said.
Several Kashmiris expressed their thankfulness to Lubna and her group for helping them in the difficult time. “I am thankful to her and her group, I was scared that I would be killed by the mob, but they spoke to the college authorities and the Police, who soon rescued us from the violent mobs,” Muneeb, a student of an Ambala College told The Kashmiriyat.
Another Kashmiri, Suhail Ahmed, who was in Delhi when beaten by a crowd thanked Lubna and said, “She helped me in the hour of dire need when I needed money.”
Her group also arranged transport for various families stranded in Jammu and Amritsar and also helped Kashmiris stranded in Jammu parts to reach Mecca Masjid in Bathandi where a camp has been set up for Kashmiris stranded in Jammu.
Lubna who has been engaged in human rights activism for the past five years said that it was possible because of the people who voluntarily expressed their desire to help Kashmiris stranded in various parts of India.
“Though in many states especially down South of India, we had groups ready in case of any untoward incident, but thankfully nothing happened,” Lubna Qadri said.
The Story was published on February 22, 2019