STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: BJP legislator Surinder Ambardar on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the stone-pelting incidents at the transit camp of Kashmiri Pandits in Kupwara on Wednesday. “The reports of mob attack on the Nutnusa Kashmiri Pandit Migrant camp in Kupwara are disturbing.I condemn it and demand a thorough judicial probe of the incident” BJP MLC, Surinder Ambardar said. Earlier in July, Kashmiri Pandit employees posted under Prime Minister’s special employment package in Kashmir migrated to Jammu after their transit colonies in Vessu (Kulgam), Mattan (Anantnag), Nutnasu (Kupwara), Baramulla, Haal (Pulwama) and Sheikhpora (Budgam)were attacked as protests erupted in the Valley in the aftermath of militant commander Burhan Wani’s encounter killing. Several Kashmiri Pandit organisations in Jammu came out in support of the community and condemned the incidents.
Terming the incident of stone pelting as a deep rooted conspiracy to “halt” the rehabilitation of the community in the valley, the All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) has said the attack vindicates its stand that minorities are not safe in the valley. “It’s a conspiracy of the separatists and others to halt the rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community in the Kashmir valley, we want a proper probe a judicial enquiry into the incident,” Vinod Pandit Chairman APMCC said.
“The attack vindicates our stand that minorities are not safe in Kashmir, it also vindicates the stand of over 1600 employees from the community who have refused to return to valley to join their jobs after their transit camps were attacked,” he said.
Another organisation of Pandits, Sampooran Kashmir, said the life and property of these community members working there are not safe.
“We have extended our support to the protesting employees in Jammu and that nobody can force them to return to valley, where their life and property are not safe. We demand that the government of India and the state government must immediately release the salaries of these protesting employees,” Anoop Kaul chairman of the Sampooran Kashmir said.
Reacting to the incident, King Bharti, President of the Citizens for Peace and Harmony said minorities in Kashmir have become the major sufferers of the ongoing unrest that was triggered after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
Meanwhile, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) also condemned the attack on Kashmiri Pandit Colony at Nutnusa, Kupwara in Kashmir. Speaking at a meeting, President ASKPC Ravinder Raina alleged that despite assurances given by the State government for ensuring security and safety of KPs, it has drastically failed to contain the Goondas and Pan-Islamic fundamentalists from tress-passing into the family quarters of Kashmiri Pandits at Nutnusa proving tall claims of Government as hollow and fake. “It is shame on the part of administration at Kupwara that unruly mob made forcible entry into the premises of Kashmiri Pandit families, besides loot, theft and arson also desecrated the religious books and other such symbolic installations”, he added. ASKPC however, warned State Government that if culprits are not booked, a state-wide protest shall be launched against government failure.
C.L. Bhat, R.K. Wangnoo, Dr. T.K. Bhat, Veena Gurtoo, Ravi Raina and B.L. Handoo also spoke in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Kashmiri Pandit Conference also condemned the attack on KP employees’ quarters in Nutnusa village of District Kupwara.
Condemning the attack, KPC Chief Kundan Kashmiri said that this is an eye opener for the Government. He reiterated his demand to formally shift all KP employees and others from Kashmir and adjust them outside the valley.
