NEW DELHI: Farooq Abdullah, the president of the National Conference (NC), raised concerns on Saturday regarding the timing of the recent terrorist attack on two migrant laborers in Kulgam. He questioned why such violent incidents seem to coincide with the NC’s demands for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
The NC had previously organized a protest in Delhi on July 20, advocating for the reinstatement of statehood for the region. Abdullah expressed his sorrow over the incident, stating, “I regret it. We do not even know who killed them or how they were killed. There should be an investigation, a fair probe to identify those responsible,” while addressing reporters in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, as reported by PTI.
Further emphasizing his concern, Abdullah remarked, “I don’t know why such incidents happen whenever we seek statehood.” The deceased, identified as Deepak Ratray and Bopinder, both in their 20s and hailing from Chhattisgarh, were attacked at a brick kiln situated in the Kelam area of Kulgam late Friday evening.
According to officials, Ratray succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital, while Bopinder died during treatment. This attack follows another tragic incident where Ashiq Hussain, a head constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, was shot by a lone terrorist while on duty for the Amarnath Yatra on July 22 in Anantnag’s Lal Chowk.
Background of Article 370 Revocation
On August 5, 2019, the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked Article 370, which had provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequently, in October 2019, the region was divided into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
People’s Democratic Party’s Response
In response, Mehbooba Mufti, the President of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a former chief minister, labeled the killings of the two non-local workers a “security lapse” and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. She emphasized that laborers travel great distances for work, often due to a lack of employment opportunities in their home states.
“People come here to work as labourers… Why do they travel so far? Because, perhaps, there is no employment for them back home. They find work here in Kashmir, yet they are being gunned down like this. I have no words to condemn this incident,”
Mufti added that the local government should provide compensation to the victims, alongside whatever assistance their home state offers. She called for a detailed inquiry into how militants were able to execute such attacks despite the presence of security forces, including the Army, CRPF, and police.
