Minorities and their worship places dear to Kashmiris: Shabir Shah

Srinagar, Aug 28 (UNI) Rejecting the claims by some central leaders that there are reports about the militant plans to attack minorities and their places of worship, senior Hurriyat leader Shabir Ahmad Shah said not a single Amarnath pilgrim was attacked in Kashmir when muslims and Kashmiri drivers were being targeted by the communal forces in Jammu.

The minorities and their places of worship are very dear to the people of Kashmir as they are part of the ''Kashmiryat,'' Mr Shah, who is underground said in a telephonic statement today.

''We have apprehension that after these false claims, the intelligence agencies and their agents in the field might target the Kashmiri pandits and sikhs who refused to be part of their conspiracy against the people of Kashmir,'' Mr Shah, the chief of J and K Democratic Freedom Party alleged.

However, he asked people to provide full protection to the minorities -- who ''refused to migrate and stayed with us'' -- and their places of worships.

Mr Shah said it is now open secret who killed the sikhs at Chatisinghpora in South Kashmir when then US president was to visit India. These very people of intelligence agencies were responsible for killings of Kashmiri pandits and other minorities during the past 20 years, he alleged.

He said Kashmiri muslims provided food and shelter free of cost to Amarnath pilgrims when muslims and people from the Valley were being targeted by Hindu fundamentalists in Jammu, who also forced the economic blockade.

Mr Shah said security forces killed and injured peaceful protestors in Kashmir while in Jammu, they allegedly helped the Hindu fundamentalists to attack muslims.

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