Srinagar, June 15: National Conference President and Union Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah, party’s Working President and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, General Secretary Sheikh Nazir have condemned the killing of Abdul Rehman Ganai.
In a statement issued by the party spokesman, the leaders called Ganai a pious man, a great social worker and an old party activist ready to help people. They prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul and for courage to the bereaved family. Dr. Farooq, while expressing deep shock and grief over the incident, said such killings are inhuman, heartless and cold blooded.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while terming the incident as merciless, condemned the killing and offered his heartfelt condolences to the family and prayed for his place in heaven.
Sheikh Nazir said that it’s a great loss to the party and extended his condolences to the bereaved family.
A condolence meeting was held at Nawa-i- Subh office of NC which was attended by Additional General Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Rural Development Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar, Chief Minister’s Advisor Mubarak Gul, Provincial President Ali Muhammad Dar, MLC Davinder Singh Oberoi, Provincial Secretary G.A. Saloora, NC spokesman Tanvir Sadiq and large number of party workers.
The NC leadership unanimously demanded that Government should conduct an inquiry and ensure that culprits are given the harshest punishment.
Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said that killing of a political worker is the highest level of human rights violation and an inhuman act.
Dr Mustafa Kamal demanded an inquiry to know ‘which agencies are involved in such an act.’ “This is not the first incident in which our worker was targeted, thousands of our leaders and workers were killed since 1989. We have to expose these elements and bring them to justice.” He also demanded an inquiry into the role of the opposition. He said that these people cannot be exonerated as they ‘have been doing all this from the beginning.’
Ali Muhammad Sagar said that it’s a conspiracy to target only one political party. “We have to expose these elements, their designs and motives. These repeated incidents should not be ignored, this is a part of well planned conspiracy in which our workers are been targeted,” he said.
“Lakhs of tourists are in the valley this time, but such incidents are deliberately carried out to disturb prevailing peace,” he said.
Chief Minister’s Political Advisor Mubarak Gul said, “These acts have failed to demoralize the party. The people have complete faith in NC.”
NC provincial president Ali Muhammad Dar said that party leadership was saddened and expressed sympathy with the Ganai family.
Meanwhile, MoS Home Nasir Aslam Wani, who is MLA Amirakadal, while expressing grief over the death has said that Ganai was a very staunch worker and always ready to work for the downtrodden. A delegation including Ali Muhammad Sagar, Ali Mohammad Dar, GA Saloora visited the residence of Abdul Rehman Ganai and participated in his funeral prayers.
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also condemned the killing.
In a statement, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said violence should have no place in any society ‘especially the one like ours who have suffered immense trouble and miseries for the last two decades on account of use of force.’
Mehbooba said the frequency of such incidents ‘as is evident by the recent attacks on Panchs and Sarpanchs has of late grown at an alarming pace and the Government has been unable to explain the spurt in violence.’
She said on the one hand the present Government is ‘pushing the people to wall as a result of its inefficiency, mis-governance and corruption and on the other hand it is unable to safeguard the lives of ordinary, defenseless people.’
She said today’s incident at Natipora is a grim reminder of the ‘state of affairs the present coalition under Omar Abdullah has thrown Jammu and Kashmir into.’
She conveyed her sympathies with the bereaved family and urged the Government to provide ex-gratia to them.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST