BJP can't handle Kashmir: Arvind Kejriwal on targeted killings

New Delhi, Jun 05: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed that Kashmiri Pandits were being forced to leave the Valley due to the targeted killings and demanded the Centre put forth an action plan to stop such incidents.

Addressing the Aam Aadmi Party's 'Jan Aakrosh Rally' at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, he also hit out at Pakistan, accusing it of supporting terror activities in Kashmir.

"I want to tell Pakistan to stop petty tactics. Kashmir will always be part of India," Kejriwal said at the rally held against targeted killings in Kashmir.

He said Kashmiri Pandits were being "forced" to leave their homes, a repeat of what happened in the 1990s. "The BJP can't handle Kashmir, they only know how to do dirty politics. Please don't do politics over Kashmir," The AAP national convener said at the rally.

He also put four demands before the BJP-led Union government. The Centre should tell the public about its plan to tackle the situation in Kashmir, cancel the bond signed with Kashmiri Pandits that says they cannot work outside Kashmir, fulfil all their demands and provide them security, Kejriwal said.

Braving the heat, hundreds of protesters, including women and children, gathered at the Jantar Mantar to protest against the killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley.

Carrying placards that read "India will not tolerate the killings of Kashmiri Pandits", the protesters raised "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogans and demanded justice for the Kashmiri Pandits who are being targeted and killed by terrorists.

The protesters also maintained a two-minute silence to pay tributes to those who lost their lives due to the targeted killings in the valley.

Several AAP leaders, including Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Environment Minister Gopal Rai, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and party MLAs, attended the "Jan Aakrosh Rally" and raised anti-BJP slogans.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also addressed the rally later in the day.

Kashmir has recently witnessed eight targeted killings by terror groups, especially Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let), and the victims included non-Muslims, security personnel, a television artiste and local civilians.

Scores of Kashmiri Pandits, who were employed in the valley under a prime minister's package in 2012, have been staging protests, threatening a mass exodus, since the killing of Rahul Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists in the Chadoora area of Budgam district in central Kashmir on May 12.

The valley has been witness to an exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s.

Addressing the rally at Jantar Mantar, Kejriwal hit out at Pakistan, accusing it of supporting terror activities in Kashmir.

"I want to tell Pakistan to stop petty tactics. Kashmir will always be a part of India," he said at the rally held against the targeted killings in the valley.

The AAP national convenor alleged that Kashmiri Pandits are being "forced" to leave their homes again, a repeat of what happened in the 1990s.

"The BJP cannot handle Kashmir, it only knows how to do dirty politics. Please do not do politics over Kashmir," he said.

Kejriwal also put four demands before the BJP-led Centre.

The Centre should tell the public about its plan to tackle the situation in Kashmir, cancel the bond signed with Kashmiri Pandits that says they cannot work outside Kashmir, fulfil all their demands and provide them security, he said.

Sisodia blamed the Centre for its alleged failure in controlling the situation in Kashmir and the targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits.

"Because of the negligence and dirty politics of the Centre, bullets are being fired and it has become difficult to stay in Kashmir anymore. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kashmiri Pandits in their pain and sufferings."

"We warn the BJP that killings of Kashmiri Pandits will not be tolerated. If any Kashmiri suffers in pain, we being in any part of the country also feel their pain. Kashmir is burning, bullets are being fired, but we stand for our brothers and sisters from the valley in their pain and grief," the deputy chief minister said.

Singh said when the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits took place in the 1990s, a BJP-backed government was in power at the Centre and now, another BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power with a full majority when Kashmiri Pandits are again being "forced" to leave the valley.

Rai questioned the Centre's silence over the recent killings of Kashmiri Pandits.

"A series of killings has begun and everyone has only one question in their mind that why is the BJP government silent on the targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits," he said.

Recalling that Kejriwal had said in the Assembly that the pain of the Kashmiri Pandits should not be made a business, Rai said the entire nation is now witnessing that in the name of putting an end to terrorism in Kashmir, the government has stopped the holding of elections in the valley.

The Delhi minister asserted that the AAP will continue to raise its voice against any wrongdoing against anyone, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, gender or religion.

The Kashmir Valley has seen eight targeted killings by terror groups especially Lashkar-e-Taiba whose victims included non-Muslims, security personnel, an artist and local civilians.

Scores of Kashmiri Pandits, who were employed under a prime minister's package in 2012, have been staging protests threatening mass exodus since the killing of Rahul Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists on May 12 in the Chadoora area of Budgam district in central Kashmir.

Two persons -- a bank employee and a brick kiln labourer -- were killed in Kashmir on June 2 while another labourer was injured in two separate incidents.

A woman teacher from the Samba district of the Jammu region was shot dead by terrorists at a school in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on May 31.

On May 18, terrorists had entered a wine shop at Baramulla in North Kashmir and threw a grenade, killing one person from the Jammu region and injuring three others.

Policeman Saifullah Qadri was shot dead outside his residence in Srinagar on May 24 while TV artiste Amreen Bhat was gunned down in Budgam two days later.

Various political parties have attacked the BJP over the Kashmir situation and sought answers from the Union Territory administration over the spurt in targeted killings.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Friday said the situation in Kashmir is "extremely worrisome" and appealed to the Centre to ensure security for the people.

Before the rally started, Sisodia tweeted, "This period will be counted as the worst phase in the history of Kashmir. The BJP has completely failed to stop targeted killings and there is an atmosphere of panic and terror in Kashmir."