Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 13: The Kishtwar violence and consequent developments continue to invite reactions by various organizations and prominent individuals seeking cooperation for maintaining peace and communal harmony in the State.
A group of concerned citizens of Jammu and Kashmir have come together to make heartfelt appeal for peace, interfaith dialogue and renewal of mutual respect between members of different communities. “We strongly condemn all incidents of violence and appeal to all those who believe in human values to prevail upon their friends, families, colleagues and students to help each other, take a stand against short-sighted, communal and sectarian beliefs and to work towards dialogue and reconciliation, said a statement issued and signed by Siddiq Wahid, Annil Suri, Khalid Hussain, Vikrant Kuthiala, Nighat Shafi, Mohammad Shafi Pandit, Jyotsna Singh, Rekha Chowdhary, Zafar Choudhary, Irm Amin Baig, Neerja Mattoo and others.
All Resident Doctors Association (ARDA) of ASCOMS & Hospital Jammu and Indian Doctors For Peace And Development (IDPD) have expressed deep concern over the unfortunate events with loss of life and property at Kishtwar. The incident and its resultant fallout in some others parts of Jammu region have given a setback to peace and progress in the State and provided opportunity to the hostile elements to exploit the situation, said ARDA acting president Dr Vikas Jamwal and IDPD general secretary Dr Arun Mitra and its J&K wing I/C Dr SS Soodan in a joint statement.
They also appealed people not to be misled by the communal forces who misguide the common masses for their own vested interest.
Sunil Dimple president Jammu West Assembly Movement has urged upon the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand to take immediate and effective steps for implementing the decisions taken to defuse the on going tension.
He also urged the Government to lift curfew as the general public, particularly patients, marriage parties, the tourists and pilgrims were facing lots of problems.
He rued that due to wrong policies and bad governance, the Independence Day celebration on August 15 is all set to miss traditional fervour, enthusiasm and festivity in view of prevailing situation here. He also urged the Government not to harass youth and innocent people of the Jammu city by arresting them.
Duggar Pradesh Party president Uday Chand has expressed serious concern over stray incidents of violence in Jammu following Kishtwar. In a statement, he said that such elements were playing in the hands of anti-national forces who were trying to spoil centuries old communal harmony and brotherhood in Jammu region.
The State council of All India Trade Union Congress headed by N K Dogra has termed the resignation of Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo as an eye wash and demanded the action as warranted under law for such criminal act.
Expressing sympathy with the affected families of Kishtwar violence, the Council appealed all section of civil society to join hands for restoration of peace, old age ties and traditional harmony and brotherhood.
National Secular Forum president Sukhdev Singh has asked the Government to take immediate steps for restoration of peace, communal harmony and brotherhood among people by taking stern action against those responsible for the Kishtwar violence.
Addressing a press conference, here today, Sukhdev Singh said that mere resignation of Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo was not enough and the Government must take punitive action against all the culprits so that no once can dare to vitiate communal harmony in Jammu Kashmir. He also expressed sympathy with the affected families and demanded adequate compensation to all.
All J&K Movement for Peace and Justice has expressed its strong reservation over the purported move of disarming Village Defence Committee (VDC) members of Kishtwar following recent violence. This move on the part of the State Government is nothing but a pro-separatist approach, which is all set to encourage the mass migration of minority community from hilly districts instead of leading to peace.
State Government Employees Joint Action Committee has also announced to oppose any such move of disarming the VDC members. In a statement, SGEJAC spokesperson Suresh Sharma warned that Government should desist from taking any such step, which could encourage anti-nationals and weaken nationalist forces in the militancy infested areas of the State. He also criticized some self styled Valley based leaders of raising such demands on the pretext of peace efforts.
Hotel Employees Union Jammu, Jammu province, has appealed all sections of the society to come forward and play constructive role in maintaining traditional communal harmony, peace and brotherhood in the entire State. The Union president also demanded adequate compensation to the affected families and action against the culprits of Kishtwar violence.
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