Srinagar- Scores of Kashmiri Pandits on Thursday staged a strong protest and blocked strategic Srinagar-Jammu highway near Qazigund against the killing of a community member in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
According to reports, nearly a hundred Kashmiri Pandits, including women, assembled on the Srinagar-Jammu highway near Veesu, Qazigund on Thursday afternoon and staged a protest against the killing of Rahul Bhat, a community member, by unknown militants inside Tehsil office Chadoora earlier in the day.
Chanting slogans, the protesters alleged that the government has failed to secure the lives of the community members in the Kashmir Valley. The protesters also blocked the highway, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on either side.
“Are we brought to Kashmir to face bullets? Is this our rehabilitation? We don’t want such jobs where we have to lay down our lives. We will resign en masse and move back to Jammu,” a woman protester said.
“We have been brought here to work, to teach students. What’s our crime? Why are we being killed?” another protester said, adding that they have nothing to do with politics and are simply in the Valley to do their jobs.
The protesters alleged that for over a decade, the BJP government has failed to rehabilitate the Kashmiri Pandits who left the Valley after eruption of militancy in early 90s.
“We feel insecure because of such attacks. Now we have to think whether we should go to office or not,” a protester said.
As the highway remained blocked for several hours, senior police officers, including Inspector General of police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar also reached the spot to pacify the protesters.
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