Panchayat official who ‘bullied’ Kashmiri shawl sellers suspended in Himachal

Dharamsala (HP): A woman panchayat official, who was caught on camera warning two shawl sellers from Kashmir against trading their wares in Himachal Pradesh, has been suspended for hurting religious sentiments, officials said on Friday.

The panchayat samiti member from Jaisinghpur in Kangra district was earlier booked for “promoting disharmony” and “insulting religious sentiments”, and a show-cause notice was issued to her seeking an explanation for her conduct, they added.

She was suspended after her reply to the notice proved unsatisfactory, district panchayat officer Neelam Katoch confirmed.

An officer would be appointed soon to further investigate the matter, officials said.

A 2.46-minute video surfaced on social media last month which showed the woman telling the two Kashmiris not to come to the village and asking them to say “Jai Shri Ram” to prove they are “Hindustani”.

The woman later apologised in another video.

“I accept my mistake and apologise if I intentionally or unintentionally said something wrong,” she said.

The second video was shared by the national convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, Nasir Khuehami, who claimed the matter was resolved after the woman tendered apology.

However, police registered a case under Sections 299 (insulting religious beliefs) and 196 (1) (to promote disharmony) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the woman.