Kashmir: Migrant labourer shot dead by militants in Budgam

Migrant Labourer
Image Courtesy:rediff.com

Militants have struck again in Kashmir, this time firing at two non-local labourers, hailing from Bihar who were working at a brick kiln at Magraypora in Chadoora area of the central Kashmir district. According to news reports, the labourers, identified as Dilkush Kumar (17) and Guri, were rushed to the hospital. Kumar was shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed. However, officials told the media Guri has been discharged.

According to a news report, Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing a high-level meeting today, Friday, June 3, to discuss the Jammu and Kashmir situation. This is reportedly the second such meeting in less than a fortnight. However the tragic terror attacks on individuals beling to minority communities in the Union Territory, migrant workers, and policemen are continuing at an alarming rate. Kashmiri Pandit, and Hindu government employees have also begun an exodus from the valley, protesting the lack of security provided by the authorities.

The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) president Sanjay K. Tickoo who is at the forefront of the human rights fight in the Valley, especially for the members of the Kashmiri Pandit community who never left, has written to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, invoking Article 21 – Right to Life. KPSS has sought the court’s intervention and cognisance of the minorities living in Kashmir Valley now becoming victims of terrorism. They also put on record the “failure of UT / Central Administration”, and have asked that the courts take that into cognisance.

The letter recalls that in 1990, it was “political turmoil and armed insurgency” that led to the targeting of Kashmiri Pandits / Hindus living in Kashmir Valley. This, they recalled, “led to the mass migration of the Kashmiri Pandits / Hindus from the Valley and as per the Government Census conducted in the year 2009, only 808 Kashmiri Pandit / Hindu families living in the Valley stayed back and faced all sorts of odds for survival.”

“After nearly 20 years in the year 2010, a process of rehabilitation was initiated. In the process, Kashmiri Migrants (Migrant Kashmiri Pandits / Hindus) were given jobs and accommodation so that they could come and stay in Kashmir Valley, but, in the year 2020 a new spree of target killings started and the fear has increased many folds among the members of the Religious Minorities living in Kashmir Valley including those who never left Valley in the even after 1990 mass migration.”

The KPSS says that “on the one hand, every member of the Religious Minority is under direct threat from the terrorists operating in Kashmir Valley, and on the other hand, the UT / Central Administration has failed to secure the life of Religious Minorities staying in Kashmir Valley. Nearly twelve attacks have been done on the local Religious Minorities living in Kashmir Valley apart from those who came to Kashmir for their bread and butter.”

They recalled the 2020, murder of Ajay Pandita (Bharti) who was a Sarpanch in one of the Villages in District Anantnag and stated that “from then till 31.05.2022 nearly 12 persons from the local Religious Minority were attacked out of which 11 died and one was severely injured.” The KPSS also put on record that “apart from target killing number of threat posters and letters” are issued by the terrorist organisations that “warned that they will kill Religious Minorities specifically Kashmiri Pandits / Hindus who are living in Kashmir Valley.”

The KPSS says that “the Government failed to protect” the citizens and the latest killings are now “causing more fear and panic in the Religious Minority Community in the Kashmir Valley.” The community wants to leave Kashmir Valley but “the Government is not allowing them to leave” which can be gathered from news reports and social media statements. It said, “The government blocked the roads, used electric currents to barricade the walls of the transit camps, and the main doors of the transit camps were closed from outside with locks.”

They alleged that some “blue-eyed persons who have access to the power” however, have ensured the “posting of their kiths and kins outside Kashmir Valley despite the fact they were also appointed under PM’s Package which does not permit outside Kashmir Posting.” This they alleged “clearly indicates that the Administration was aware that the situation in Kashmir not conducive for the Religious Minorities but they still made them work in Kashmir Valley without any proper security cover reason to which a dozen of Religious Minority Community members were brutally killed by the terrorists.”

According to KPSS this is “a clear violation of the Right to life which is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.” They added that “on one hand, UT / Central Administration fail to protect the lives of the religious minorities in Kashmir Valley and on the other hand does not let them leave Kashmir Valley so that they can protect their respective lives for the reasons unknown and have created an atmosphere of depression among the Religious Minorities living in Kashmir Valley reason to which one person died due to depression as the Administration is playing with the lives of the religious minorities in Kashmir Valley for some vested interests which need to be investigated.”

The KPSS has asked the court “to intervene and protect lives”. They have also asked that the “the UT / Central Government be directed to move / relocate Religious Minorities living in Kashmir Valley outside Kashmir Valley” and investigate all the targeted killings as well as “investigate all the transfers prior to 12.05.2022”.

The letter may be read here: