Srinagar: Political leaders cutting across party lines have condemned the killing of Kashmiri Pandit government employee Rahul Bhat. In a press release, National Conference President and MP from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah have condemned the brutal killing of Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat in Budgam.
In his condemnation, Dr Farooq said: “I unequivocally condemn the dastardly attack on Rahul Bhatt. The sole purpose of such dastardly and heinous acts is to vitiate the atmosphere of Kashmir. I condemn the killing in the strongest possible terms. My heartfelt condolences to Rahul’s family,” he said.
Condemning the incident, Omar said: “I unequivocally condemn the murderous attack on Rahul Bhatt. Rahul was a government employee working in the Tehsil office in Chadoora where he was attacked. Targeted killings continue & a sense of fear grows unchecked. My heartfelt condolences to Rahul’s family,” he said.
Apni Party President Syed Muhammed Altaf Bukhari has also strongly condemned the attack.
While strongly condemning the attack, Bukhari said that it is very tragic to see this senseless bloodshed of innocents. “Our fellow Kashmiris are suffering due to acts of violence and there seems to be no end to this madness,” he said. Such targeted killings of members of minority community is reprehensible and the people of Kashmir won’t accept this bloodshed.
While expressing sympathy with the family members, Bukhari said people who don’t want sustained peace and stability in the valley are the one’s behind such incidents.
Expressing grief over the incident, Bukhari said, “My heart goes out to the family members of the deceased”. No words would be ever enough to condemn the inhumane act. I hope that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice at an earliest,”
Bukhari also appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain communal harmony and brotherhood and not fall prey to the nefarious designs of anti-social elements.
The Peoples Conference led by Sajad Lone also condemned the killing and extended sympathies and unwavering support to the family of the victim. “Strongly condemn the killing of Rahul. It is difficult to read the minds of these psychopaths who indulge in such killings.
Yet another family is added to the list of victims of violence. May the departed soul rest in peace,” Tweeted PC Chairperson Sajad Lone.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tweeted, “We unequivocally condemn the killing of Rahul Bhat ji, who was working as an employee in revenue dept Budgam. Despite deployment of security forces in every nook & corner of the valley, even govt offices aren’t safe. Our thoughts, prayers are with the family in this hour of grief.”
The Congress, while condemning the killing, said the perpetrators of such heinous crimes should know that they cannot achieve anything by such inhuman acts.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Thursday condemned the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee in Budgam district by describing it as a “cowardly act.”
Stating that the killing of innocent people had no justification, Chugh demanded stringent action against those involved in heinous crime at the earliest possible.
Meanwhile Apni Party general secretary Vijay Bakaya also expressed shock at the brutal killing of Rahul Bhat, a PM package employee in the tehsil Office Chadoora this evening.
Bakaya, in a statement, expressed apprehension that this dastardly act could be an attempt to scare KP employees. “This may be an attempt to unsettle the KP employees who had been working diligently and efficiently and have adjusted peacefully to the place of their birth after having grown up in hard conditions in heat and rain, in tents and one room tenements in Jammu after their parents were forced to flee from the atmosphere of terror,” he said. Bakaya urged the administration to take effective measures to prevent recurrence of such inhuman assaults on innocent people.
They also expressed sympathy with the bereaved family.