Kishtwar Muslims demand disarming of VDCs, arrest of BJP leader Ministerial team assures impartial probe, appeal for communal harmony Jammu, Aug 18: Muslim community in Kishtwar have threatened to boycott talks with the government unless the notorious Village Defense Committees (VDCs) are disarmed and senior Bharitiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Sunil Sharma is arrested for his alleged role in August 9 violence. Meanwhile, a ministerial team comprising Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma and Minister for Transport and CA&PD, Choudhary Ramzan visited the town and met representatives of both Muslim and Hindu communities. They have left the town and would brief Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about the demands being raised by both the communities to reach an amicable solution. The Muslim delegation led by Imam Jama Masjid Kishtwar, Moulana Farooq Ahmed Kitchloo and others also highlighted their demands including disbanding of VDCs “who have unleashed reign of terror in the hilly district and targeted innocent people”. The Muslim delegation also demanded arrest of BJP leader Sunil Sharma and transparent investigation into the August 9 incident that led to the violence in Kishtwar claiming lives of three people besides damage to property worth crores. The Muslim delegation also demanded compensation for the shopkeepers who suffered during the 2008 Amarnath land transfer row in Kishtwar. “The government should pay compensation to the businessmen of Muslim community who have suffered losses in Amarnath land transfer agitation and their property was targeted,” a member of the Muslim delegation told Rising Kashmir. He said they have also highlighted the role of senior police officials who were present at the site when the violence broke out. “The then head of district police and other police officials were instrumental in helping the members of other community following which the Muslim property including several vehicles, couple of hotels, petrol pumps and other properties were burnt,” a local resident told Rising Kashmir. “When our hotels and other property was being set on fire, the then district police head told Muslims let the Hindu youths burn their (Muslim) property with which their (minority community) anger will come down.” Abdul Rafiq, another local, said the VDC members opened fire on police at Hadyal Chowk in Kishtwar town on August 9, adding that the police led by the then district police chief was working against Muslim community and had given free hand to the trouble makers of the other community. Meanwhile, the ministers urged members of both the communities to work for communal harmony in the region. They assured both the communities that an impartial judicial probe will be held and mischievous elements responsible for violence would be brought to book. They also assured people that all their grievances will be looked into for redressal. Regarding lack of essential commodities in some areas, the ministers directed the officials to replenish the stock of ration and other essentials. Referring to the issue of absence of teachers highlighted by the locals, Deputy Chief Minister directed the District Magistrate to have random inspections in various schools and act strictly against the menace of absenteeism.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Aug 2013 02:18:30 +0000
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