Selective targeting of party workers in Kashmir; BJP smells conspiracy [Details]

Smelling a deep-rooted conspiracy in the selective targeting of party leaders by the terrorists in Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of BJP on Thursday asked government to ensure the safety of its workers in the Valley.

"Although terrorists were attacking workers of mainstream parties since long, selective targeting of our leaders have been intensified after Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections", former minister and general secretary of J&K BJP, Sunil Sharma, who is incharge of Kashmir unit, told The International Business Times, adding, "BJP has captured 40 percent of ULBs and BDCs so some forces frustrated over Saffron party spreading its footprint in the Valley".

Sharma alleged the direct involvement of Pakistan in consecutive terror attacks on BJP leaders in the valley. He is of the view that successful conduct of UBLs elections and setting up of three-tier Panchayati Raj institution in J&K has ushered a new era of balanced development in the Union Territory. But, he observed, Pakistan couldn't tolerate this large-scale development in Kashmir and is engineering these cowardly attacks.

Why terrorists targeting only BJP workers, asks party MP

BJP's Lok Sabha member from Jammu, Jugal Kishore Sharma said that all political parties participated in recently held District Development Councils (DDCs) elections but terrorists only targeting BJP leaders which is a clear indication of nefarious designs.  He said that it was all due to the growing acceptance of BJP in Kashmir Valley that terrorists got frustrated.

"We will not succumb before terrorists", he asserted, adding, "by killing a Kashmiri Pandits terrorists want to sabotage any process of their return to their native places in Valley". 

Terrorists attacking BJP leaders after repeated intervals

During the last two years, terror groups are targeting Valley-based BJP leaders, especially youth, after repeated intervals as the party is trying to expand its footprint in Kashmir. BJP had created history in District Development Councils (DDCs) elections by winning three seats.

•  On April 2, this year, a police constable had sacrificed his life while repulsing an attack on a local BJP leader Anwar Ahmad in the outskirts of Srinagar. The martyr cop was identified as Rameez Raja.
•  Earlier on March 29, terrorists killed a Block Development Council (BDC) member, a municipal councilor member, and his personal security guard in the Sopore area of North Kashmir's Baramulla district. BDC member Reyaz Ahmad was associated with the BJP.
•  On October 29, 2020, three BJP workers, including a local youth wing leader, were killed in a terror attack in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Three BJP workers, identified as Fida Hussain Yatoo, Umer Rashid Beigh, and Umer Ramzan Hajam, were killed by terrorists.
•  BJP leader, his father, and his brother killed by terrorists on July 8, 2020, in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district. Sheikh Waseem Bari, a local BJP leader, and two members of his family were shot dead by terrorists in Kashmir's Bandipore district.
•  The brutal murder of Gowhar Bhat, 30, in the month of November 2019 was followed by the gruesome killing of Shabir Ahmed Bhat on the eve of Eid in the same year. Shabir Bhat, killed on the eve of Eid, was 'Vistarak' of the party and had assigned to the job to strengthen booth level organization structure in the Pulwama assembly segment.
•  'Vistaraks' are full-timers of the party working at the grass-roots level to educate people about BJP's policies and programmes.