Kejriwal raises safety issue of Kashmiri Pandits

NEW DELHI, May 16: Raking up the recent murder of a Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat in Budgam, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday questioned the Centre regarding safety of the minority community in the Kashmir valley.
Kejriwal said the killing appears targeted and urged the Centre to ensure the safety of the KP community there.
He also said that the incident has reignited the fear among the community who are extremely worried about their safety.
Few days back a Kashmiri pandit was killed in his office. It seems they had thought this through. The country is worried. Why are Kashmiri Pandits still not safe. A lot of them had been sent under a PM package. After this incident, all of them are scared, the Chief Minister said in a digital briefing.
The Delhi CM also demanded action against the officials who lathicharged and locked up Kashmiri Pandits when they protested against the killing of their community member.
“The Kashmiri Pandit in the Valley are fearful of their life after the recent spate of killings. When they tried to express their anger aganst the ghastly act, they were lathi-charged, fired witb tear-gas shells and we’re also locked up in their colony. The Government should immediately suspend those involved in suppressing their (KP) anger,” he said.
Kejriwal also said that the such attacks on Kashmiri Pandits breaks the confidence of the community members living in exile about returning to their homeland.
“If KPs do not feel secure in Kashmir despite heavy security arrangement by the Centre, how would those from the community who have migrated to different parts of the country will build confidence to returning to their homeland. The Centre should do whatever it can to rebuild the trust,” he started.
The Kashmiri Pandits have been protesting against the killing of Rahul Bhat, the employee at the Chadoora tehsil office who was shot dead by terrorists on May 10. He was the second Kashmiri Pandit to be killed in seven months after Makhan Lal Bindroo, who was shot dead in October last year.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killings. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also announced that a government job will be provided to the wife of the deceased Kashmiri Pandit employee. (Agencies)