By Hanan Zaffar, MuslimMirror.com,
New Delhi: After more than 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in one of the worst-ever militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaishe-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden Scorpio into a bus carrying CRPF convoy in Pulwama district on February 15, Kashmiri students and traders have been attacked in various parts of the country.
Kashmiri students in Dehradun, Ambala, Jaipur Pune and Yavatmal were physically assaulted and threatened to leave their institutes. However, there have been many cases in which locals have helped the Kashmiris during the crisis.
In one such case, transgender people in Delhi saved many Kashmiris from the wrath of goons. Mannu BJ a transgender working in a leading NGO in Delhi along with his friends stopped a group of people who were threatening Kashmiri students in Connaught Place.
“It was 6PM on 16 February 2019, myself along with my transgender friends were going from Jantar Mantar to Rajeev Chowk metro station. We saw a crowd on Hanuman Mandir road. I observed few girls in the crowd, thought of going near to see what exactly is happening. My transgender friends accompanied me. We were astonished, a group of 4-5 men centered around 8 of Kashmiri boys and girls and were abusing them and holding them responsible for the Pulwama incident,” said Mannu while talking to Muslim Mirror, adding “I entered the crowd and requested those men to let the young boys and girls go their way. I had to raise my voice against the claim these men were doing against these young boys and girls on the street. Argument went on and on.”
“My transgender sisters were just observing and we could see the fear in the eyes of those innocent girls and started supporting me in the argument.”
Mannu says during the argument, two of the men started physical violence on him.
“If you are really worried and have serious concern about our Army, form a group, and motivate yourself and other Indians to join the group. Instead of screaming and shouting in a safe place and exhibiting unnecessary macho that would help” says Mannu.
In a bid to stop the unruly group from attacking Kashmiris, Mannu says his friends resorted to ‘clapping’. “My transgender sisters had to start clapping to disperse the crowd that had gathered around the students. Transgender sisters raised her voice, screaming and that eventually helped. Slowly people around started moving out. Finally we rescued those innocent boys and girls. We accompanied them for a while and let them go their way,” says Mannu.
“These men claiming themselves as Indians have forgot our history, our culture. First they should learn to respect women. Being a man, no one can take the granted license to abuse any women on streets for any reason,” adds Mannu with exasperation discernible in his eyes.
Well done, may God bless you!