Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Friday warned those trying to jeopardise communal harmony by “justifying the killings of innocent citizens”. Addressing an event organised on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day, Sinha asserted that action will be taken against those who jeopardise the integrity of the nation by their statements or acts, reported news agency.
“We are keeping an eye on elements that are trying to jeopardise communal harmony. Some people are justifying the killings of innocent citizens because of their self-interest,” the J&K L-G said, without naming anyone, as quoted by news agency.
“If anybody jeopardises the integrity of the nation by their statements or acts then action will be taken against them under the purview of law,” he added.
Sinha’s comments came days after National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said that killings won’t stop in the Valley “until justice is served”. The former J&K chief minister wondered why the situation in the Valley has not improved despite the abrogation of Article 370, which the BJP earlier blamed for the targeted killings.
When asked about the recent killings, particularly that of a Kashmir Pandit in Shopian last Saturday, Abdullah said, “It will never stop until justice is served.”
“It has been four years since Article 370 was revoked (in August 2019) but still people are dying. If Article 370 was responsible for killings then why this innocent Pandit Puran Krishan Bhat has been killed. There must be some reason to it. Article 370 was not responsible for killings because terrorism is being sponsored from outside,” he added.
Security forces have intensified counter-terror operations due to the rise in targeted killings in Kashmir. Earlier this week, an arrested “hybrid” Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed during an anti-militancy operation in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering demands for probe from several political parties, including the PDP and the National Conference.