Srinagar, Nov 13 : The workers of mainstream political parties including ruling PDP and BJP have requested government and police to provide them with security as they feel threatened by militants amid continous attacks including killings.
The political workers said that they fear to go out of their houses and prefer to stay indoors as they fear for their lives. “There is so much militancy in south Kashmir today. We cannot go out. We are distress because we have to stay indoors. We don’t go anywhere and this is a major issue that government isn’t giving us any protection and no party is extending cooperation,” said a political worker.
A worker of ruling BJP said that even their party is not helping them. “I want to request government and party to give us security and at least give us some help so that we are able to live here and we remain safe and our children also remain safe,” he said, adding that they cannot move at ground level. Recently, suspected militants killed district president of BJYM in Shopian district. Before that, a PDP worker was killed inside his home in Shopian.
A video has gone viral today on social media wherein suspected militants are seen beating a naked Congress worker in Wathoo area of Shopian district. The video has instilled fresh fear among political workers and have reiterated their demand for security. The militants who are brandishing gun barrels in the video warn the Congress worker to desist from “anti-movement” activities.
Gulzar Ahmad, who is BJP General Secretary in Pulwama, said the south Kashmir is highly dangerous for political workers. “I have joined BJP in 1996 and that time Shopian-Pulwama was single district. If we talk about Kashmir Range, the south Kashmir is dangerous and militancy is all here. Recently, our District Yuva Morcha president was martyred because he had no security.
“He had asked for security at least 50 times. He even requested DGP. But he was not provided security until he died. I request DGP and IGP that PSOs won’t help but all the active leaders should be provided with residency post with their residences, be they in Kulgam, Shopian, Anantnag, Pulwama or Srinagar, so that live peacefully. They should be given residency guards. PSOs cannot do anything. We want residency guard,” he said.
Inspector General (IG) CRPF Zulikar Hassan meanwhile told reporters in Pulwama that they are taking steps to prevent attacks on political workers by increasing presence of forces in vulnerable areas. “We are alert and are trying that more security presence remains in these areas,” he said, according to news agency GNS, adding that there has been increase in political activities in south Kashmir. “That is why militants are feeling threatened,” the CRPF IG added. (GNS)