Jammu: Ghastly Rajouri terror attack that killed six civilians, including two children near Dangri village of Rajouri district, has evoked massive condemnations across the political and social spectrum of J&K and other parts of the country.
Politicians of all hues, including the former Chief Ministers, ex-ministers, senior executive members of national parties including national general secretary of BJP Tarun Chugh and the Members of Parliament condemned the brutal killings and expressed their condolence to the bereaved families.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president and MP from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah condemned the ghastly terror attack in unequivocal terms.
Talking to media persons in Budgam, Dr Farooq offered heartfelt condolences with the victim families and said, “I am deeply shocked at the targeted attack on civilians in Rajouri. What was their fault? It is a matter of concern that terrorism still exists in Jammu and Kashmir. The incidents of targeted killings of innocents have increased. There are no custom made solutions to this festering problem. There is a need to find a solution by the Home Ministry. Such killings would leave us nowhere. We were told that the Art 370 was the mother of all evils and that it’s annulling will decrease the incidents of violence. Nothing of that sort happened. Situation has worsened ever since. There are more forces in J&K than during my time.”
Condemning the gruesome attack, Omar Abdullah said, “Deeply shocked as more details emerge of this targeted attack in Rajouri district of Jammu. I unequivocally condemn this heinous attack and send my condolences to the families of the deceased. I hope those injured in this attack will make a swift and complete recovery.”
Father-son duo, both the former Chief Ministers, also condoled the killing of two children and injuries to seven others in an IED blast near the house of the first firing incident. They expressed condolences and sympathies with the bereaved and prayed for swift recovery to all the injured. They demanded that the carelessness be probed and accountability fixed.
Former Chief Minister and chairman Democratic Azad Party Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed his concern over “militant attacks in Rajouri district.” “I am deeply concerned and saddened to see the resurfacing of militant activities in Rajouri district for two consecutive days in which 6 precious lives including children have been lost and 15 injured, which is a matter of great concern for each one of us,” he said.
Azad strongly condemned this heinous act of terrorism against civilians, particularly against the minority community in the state of J&K. Such acts of selective killings of a particular community even in the past had been used by terrorists as a tool to create disharmony in the society. Azad requested the people of all sections of society not to fall prey to these evil designs of militants and maintain a climate of peace and harmony. He also demanded that the state government should address the overall security situation promptly with great seriousness keeping in view the resurfacing of militant activities and trace out the militants responsible as early as possible.
He also spoke to Dr Mehmood, the Medical Superintendent of Rajouri hospital. Dr Mehmood assured Azad that all injured civilians in the hospital were being taken full care of and would be provided all the facilities available in the hospital. Azad also spoke to one of the injured civilians, Prince, currently recovering in the hospital. He wished all the injured a speedy recovery.
Another former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the heinous act as she tweeted, “Condemn this cowardly act & condolences to their families. Despite being under BJP rule & its bogus claims of ending militancy, violence continues unabated. Had J&K had its own elected government, the same media would have hauled them over the coals.”
Former minister and J&K Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari shared condemnation through his tweet, “I strongly condemn the cowardly terror incidents that took place in Rajouri. I hope that those behind these despicable attacks will be held to account. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief.”
People’s Conference president Sajad Lone tweeted, “Yet another carnage. This time in Rajouri. Condemn the cowardly act. My thoughts with families of those who lost their lives. The perpetrators of this dastardly act will rot in hell.”BJP national general secretary Tarun Cugh blasted the Pakistan ISI for trying to disrupt peace in J&K. Expressing his shock and grief over the death of six people near Rajouri after the militants attack, Chugh said it was a cowardly act by the Pakistan-based militants who were basically disturbed at the recent development and growth of the Union Territory. He said it was a frustrated act of the militants to unleash bullets on unarmed and innocent people.
Chugh said Pakistan was disturbed to see guns and stones being replaced by books and computers in the hands of the J&K youth. “It is time the Pakistan agents understand it comprehensively that the Modi government would not spare any effort to bring a new culture of progress and prosperity to the region. The Modi government has zero tolerance to such violence taking place in the valley and would deal with them with an iron hand,” he said and warned that Pakistan’s ISI was again trying to disturb peace and amity in J&K.
Chairman J&K Peoples Democratic Front and former minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, while condemning the senseless killing of civilians by gunmen, said that the enemies of peace were hell bent to vitiate communal harmony and brotherhood, hallmark of the rich traditions and composite ethos of Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved families, Hakeem Yaseen has urged the government to give exemplary punishment to the culprits. “There should be no mercy with the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” the PDF chairman added. He said that the killing of human beings had no place in a civilised society. He said, “All religions, including Islam strictly prohibit killings of human beings. Any form of cruelty against humanity was an unpardonable sin.”
Seeking ex-gratia and the jobs for the kin of victims, he also prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
MP Rajya Sabha Engineer Gulam Ali Khatana, while strongly condemning the gruesome terrorist attack, said such attacks were aimed at disturbing the peace prevailing in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press statement issued here, MP Khatana said that the Government of India was committed to restore peace and tranquility in J&K and such cowardly attempts by the enemies of peace won’t derail the government’s resolve to defeat the enemies of peace. He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and urged the UT administration to extend best possible medicare to the injured.
Khatana further urged the LG Manoj Sinha to beef up security measures in Jammu region, which had been becoming target of repeated terrorist attacks.
Senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana described the terror mayhem as an “attack on the civilized way of life, unleashed by the neighbouring country, which had no regard for human values and lives.” He said that the barbarism left a heart wrenching trail of blood. “These dastardly acts won’t deter the resolve of the people and determination of the nation in fighting terrorism to its end,” he said, adding that the monster of terror was taking its last breath.
He said the executors of Pakistan’s sinister plan would not go unpunished, as they committed a heinous crime against humanity.
Rana conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for peace to their souls. “At this hour of grief, the entire nation is in solidarity with those having lost their kin in the terror violence,” he said and prayed for speedy recovery to those injured in the firing and in the blast.
PDP leader Arif Laigaroo said killing of innocent people benefitted only the enemies of peace and people of all sections of society must come forward to stop this vicious cycle of violence.
Urging the government to identify and punish the perpetrators of these killings he expressed heartfelt condolences with the victim families.
“There can be no condemnation strong enough to condemn such killings,” he said while urging the government to start a political dialogue.
BJP’s youth wing media secretary J&K UT Engineer Sahil Bashir Bhat, while condemning the act, said Pakistan and its sponsored terror groups were trying to show their existence by carrying out these cowardly acts. He said that Pakistan was trying to disrupt peace but the BJP government led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not allow this to happen. “The government has a zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and Pakistan’s nefarious designs,” he said. “This is an act of cowardice. My deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” he said.
“The international community should take cognizance of these atrocities carried out by Pakistan for the last 32 years. Pakistan is now endeavouring to spread the cult of terrorism to new areas south of the Pir Panjal range in the Jammu region, so as to create an ethnic and sectarian divide and trigger a communal backlash. Pakistan’s increasing frustration and desperation can be gauged from the number of incidents of terrorism that its mercenary agents have been perpetrating since August 2019,” Sahil said.