The spate of targeted killing of civilians in Kashmir by LeT’s frontal terror wing United Liberation Front (ULF) has shifted the focus from the ongoing 9-week long special public outreach program of the centre under which union ministers were visiting here to showcase the development that has happened in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of the Article 370. The program also aimed at the ministers taking steps to on the spot solve problems faced by people.

The serial killing of eleven persons belonging to minorities and workforce from other states has happened in the middle of the outreach program that began in the second week of September and union ministers were visiting the assigned areas in every nook and corner of the union territory (UT).

However, these killings have not directly affected the scheduled visit of union ministers who were interacting with the common people and also have their feedback on various issues. About 70 union ministers are scheduled to visit J&K during the outreach program. These killings and the subsequent back home flight of labourers has become the point of discussion among common people.

Home Minister Amit Shah is also expected to come to J&K later this month when he will take stock of the situation. Mainstream Kashmiri political leaders while condemning civilian killings by terrorists have said that targeted killings are alien to the cultural ethos of Kashmir. Almost all political leaders including National Conference chief Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone and CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami have in one voice condemned these killings and have also expressed concern over the large scale migration of labourers from Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and other places due to fear of terrorists who have issued them the quit Kashmir threat.

Farooq Abdullah said Kashmiris have always shown detestation for such ghastly acts and killing of civilians was an attempt to defame people of the valley. Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the J&K administration had prior information about attacks on minorities, yet they chose to ignore these inputs. Instead they were busy providing security to Union Ministers who were brought to Kashmir to amplify BJP’s “fake narrative and propaganda of so called normalcy in J&K”.

One wonders what will it take for government of India to realise that its policies have been a monumental failure in J&K and at what cost? Such unfortunate incidents only reinforce the immediate need to reach out to the people of J&K by initiating a constructive dialogue, she said.

Omar Abdullah said that killing of labourers was a grim reminder of the precarious security situation in Kashmir these days. CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami  said mere condemnation is not enough. It is time for all of us to come forward and unitedly raise our voice against these criminals who are committing such heinous crimes. This is aimed at targeting the interests of people of Kashmir and this is happening at a time when the harvesting season is at its peak.

The newly elected Kashmir zone president of National Conference, Nasir Wani said such  acts of barbarism are aimed to  drive a wedge between  different sections of society in Kashmir but  the  unity  and the widespread condemnation of such wanton acts of bloodshed have brought home to such forces that kashmiris stand united against such inhuman killings.