Cong sarpanch killed by terrorists: Kin, political leaders seek protection for Kashmiri Pandits

A day after sarpanch and Congress leader Ajay Pandita alias Bharti was shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, his kin and many political

A day after sarpanch and Congress leader Ajay Pandita alias Bharti was shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, his kin and many political leaders raised demands of protection for Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.

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The slain leader was cremated in Jammu earlier on Tuesday. Bharti was the sarpanch of Lukbawan village in the Larkipora area.

“We won’t leave Kashmir but I urge the government to create a regiment of the Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley,” said Vijay Pandita, brother of the deceased.

“He loved his roots and always extended a helping hand to the needy. After becoming a sarpanch he had decided to work for the welfare of Muslims,” he added.

Bharti’s father Dwarika Nath Pandita said, “We came to Kashmir in 1996. At that time, Ajay was around 21-year-old. He used to say that Kashmir is our home. Some anti-nationals are behind his killing.”

Calling it a cowardly act, Lieutenant-Governor Girish Chandra Murmu condemned the killing and said that those behind the killing are enemies of humanity. “Attack on any public representative is an attack on democracy,” he said.

In December last year, Bharti had told the media that there was a threat to his life and had repeatedly asked for security.

Dr Mahesh Kaul, a prominent writer on Kashmir and a community leader, said, “The killing of Ajay is another example of this jihadi paramilitary society to continue the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits and the Indian state keeps on buying the half separatist theory of secularism via Kashmiriyat (“Cash-miriyat).”

All Parties Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) leader Vinod Pandit said, “We condemn the killing of Ajay Pandita. He was always under threat for being a Kashmiri Pandit sarpanch. A probe is needed in the matter.”

Meanwhile, Congress questioned lapses to provide security to the slain leader. Senior leaders of the JKPCC have questioned the government’s failure to provide adequate security to Bharti, despite him being an elected representative and leader of a minority community residing in one of the most vulnerable areas in Kashmir.

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) also condemned the killing and said that such cowardly attacks will not deter them from strengthening the democracy at the grassroots level in the UT.

The AJKPC reiterated its demand for security to its members and advocated adequate compensation to family of the deceased.

“Pandita was the vice-president of the AJKPC and played a great role in strengthening the organisation. His killing is an attack on democracy and a direct fallout of the frustration among terror ranks due to back-to-back successful operations which resulted in killing of nine militants in the past two days in Shopian,” said AJKPC president Anil Sharma.

Meanwhile, the AJKPC has demanded adequate security for the elected sarpanches and panches.

In last panchyat elections held in December 2018, a total of 22,214 panches and 3,459 sarpanches were elected of total 33,592 panch and 4,290 sarpanch constituencies.

Hizbul Mujahideen involved in killing of sarpanch: Cops

Police have claimed that militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were involved in the killing of Congress sarpanch Ajay Pandita alias Bharti in Anantnag.

J&K DGP Dilbag Singh said the sarpanch was killed by Hizbul Mujahideen militants.

Police said unidentified gunmen had attacked Bharti at his orchard on Monday afternoon.

Locals said Bharti’s family had migrated from south Kashmir in early ’90s but he had returned a couple of years back and contested the panchayat polls.

State BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur asked the L-G administration to provide security to all sarpanches and panches.

“We have been demanding security since long. So far, nothing has been done. We urge police to provide security to the leaders,” he said.

Thakur said militants are not happy with development, adding that culprits involved in Pandita’s killing will be taken to task soon.