Treat Rohingyas as humans, not animals: Omar Abdullah

 Srinagar, Dec 9 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged the central government to address the issue of Rohingya refugees with compassion and clarity. Describing the matter as a humanitarian issue, he emphasized the need for a clear policy to determine the refugees’ fate.

Abdullah told reporters, “The central government should decide what to do about them. If they can be sent back, they should be sent back. But if we cannot send them back, we cannot let them starve or freeze to death.”

He stressed that the Rohingyas must be treated with dignity while they remain in the region. “We did not bring them here. If the central government’s policy has changed, they can take them wherever they want. But as long as they are here, we are responsible for caring for them. They are human beings and must not be treated like animals,” he added.

Abdullah’s comments come amid growing debates over the presence of Rohingya refugees in different parts of the country. While some call for their deportation.

The Chief Minister reiterated that it is the central government’s responsibility to chart a course of action but underlined the importance of treating the refugees with compassion until a decision is made.