Withdrawal of pickets was a wrong decision: KPs
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 9: The J&K UT administration is reconsidering providing of security to the minorities putting up in vulnerable areas of Kashmir valley which was withdrawn in 2018 by the then Government after security review.
The Government is thinking to review the decision following the killing of a Sarpanch belonging to minority Kashmiri Pandit community in village Lokbhawan in South Kashmir district of Anantnag yesterday as the members of Kashmiri Pandit community as well as various political parties have taken the Government to task for not providing the security to the Sarpanch who had requested for the same number of times earlier to concerned authorities. Besides, they termed the withdrawal of security pickets from minority bastis a wrong decision.
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Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole told EXCELSIOR that Government is considering security cover for the minorities living in vulnerable areas of Kashmir valley under the given circumstances. He added the unfortunate incident which took place yesterday was unexpected as there was a discernible change in the ground situation in the Valley and the authorities had not expected that such an incident will take place. He said as the situation had improved the security agencies had taken the decision to remove the security but now the Government will review the decision.
It may be recalled that the then State Government withdrew security from KP hamlets in different areas of the Valley in 2018. The decision was opposed by the Pandit organizations who at that time too had shown their concern for the welfare of the minority community members who decided to stay back in Valley despite facing many odds. Soon after the withdrawal of the security from minority hamlets, the militants attacked various minority bastis in Kashmir including Tral in Pulwama district.
A Sikh youth was killed by militants in Tral on January 4 last year while a Sikh tanker driver with oil supply from Jammu to Kashmir valley was recently killed by some anti-national elements in Qazigund area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Earlier militants had also attacked minority KP hamlets in Jamnagri village of Shopian district in South Kashmir on October 8, 2016 killing a police guard identified as Constable Nazir Ahmed while another constable Zahoor Ahmed and a KP boy was injured in the attack which was targeted at the Pandit family residing in the village.
This was preceded by a militant attack in Ranipora village in South Kashmir district of Anantnag where some minority Pandit families are putting up. But showing no concern for these attacks the security agencies withdrew the police guard from all the hamlets where the minority Pandits were putting up exposing them to a grave risk of militants who though were down but not out.
Kashmiri Pandits and some members of Sikh community while terming the decision of security withdrawal by then Government as suicidal said they had not learnt any thing from massacres in Sangrampora in Budgam district of Kashmir, Wandhama in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir, Nadimarg in Kulgam district of South Kashmir, Telvani and Chittisinghpora in Anantnag district of South Kashmir or Mehjoor Nagar in Srinagar district where members of minority community were massacred by terrorists.
The recent incidents surfacing in some parts of Kashmir including the killing of Sarpanch, Ajay Pandita and a driver in Qazigund area has created fear psychosis among the minorities once again in Kashmir. Even the Kashmiri Pandit youth appointed under PM package also felt scared with the attacks and they have demanded their shifting to Jammu till situation becomes conducive in the Valley.
With people scared of surfacing of terrorism in Kashmir, besides the Kashmiri Pandits the demand for providing security to all public representatives including Sarpanchs, Panchs and Municipal Corporators is also gaining momentum with All J&K Panchayat Conference president Anil Sharma making an appeal to Government to ensure the security of all public representatives including Panchs and Sarpanchs who have become the soft target of terrorist over the years.
Sharma said that till date 18 members of the conference have lost their lives in terrorist attack so far and the Government is duty bound to ensure the security of the Panchayat members working in tough conditions especially in Kashmir and other militancy infested areas of UT. He said though the members of the conference are ready to give any sacrifice for the nation but at the same time the Government should take steps to ensure their security as such attacks create fear psychosis among the people.
It may be recalled that the Government came for stiff opposition after the killing of Sarpanch for not providing security to him and all KP organizations showed their concern for the safety of minorities living in Kashmir under the present circumstances. Not only the KP organizations but the political parties including Congress, National Conference (NC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Shiv Sena leaders were concerned over security of the minorities in Kashmir after the withdrawal of security pickets from their areas.
The KP bodies are of the opinion that had there been a security picket near the residence of the Sarpanch he would not have fallen to the bullets of militants. They said that at various places in Valley the police retaliation had saved the lives of minority community members in past when terrorists tried to attack them.
The security has not only been withdrawn from the minority hamlets but even from their religious places in various areas of Kashmir. Harmohinder Singh, a Sikh leader from Kashmir said that the security has also been withdrawn from various Gurudwaras in Valley by the authorities which is also a cause of concern for them. He demanded re-establishing of security pickets in the areas inhabited by minorities.
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