Several BJP members resign in J&K after series of attacks on party leaders
Last updated on February 14th, 2023 at 01:16 pm
A sense of fear is looming upon the BJP unit in Jammu and Kashmir after at least six local leaders of the party were attacked in the Valley in less than a month. In view of the recent attacks, Jammu & Kashmir’s local BJP unit has raised serious concerns over lack of security for them in the newly-formed Union Territory.
While many of the BJP leaders have called upon the administration to earmark safe zones for party workers in every district in the Valley, others have appealed senior J&K police to step up security norms for BJP leaders and workers across the region.
On August 9, alleged militants opened fire on BJP worker Abdul Hamid Najar in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. A day after, he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Two days before Najar’s killing, BJP member and sarpanch Sajad Ahmad Khanday was shot dead in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Last month on July 8, senior BJP leader Sheikh Wasim Bari was gunned down along with his father and brother in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
It is important to note that these attacks on BJP leaders and workers have come to light amid the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir that was celebrated on August 5.
Evidently, these incidents have led to a wave of fear among BJP leaders in Kashmir, many of whom have already tendered their resignations from the party. Earlier this month, few BJP members from South Kashmir district quit the party. In July, several BJP members quit the party from North Kashmir’s Baramulla and Kupwara districts. Many more resignations have followed from other districts in the Valley in the past few weeks. While many have reportedly cited security concerns for quitting the party, others have denied to state any reason for their decision.
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Several of these resignations have been sent out on social media in the form of open letters as well to create awareness about the situation.
Urging the J&K police to formulate new security protocols for party members, BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur issued a statement on August 10 asking BJP members to not venture around the region without security clearance.
“At each district headquarter, one building should be kept for BJP leaders and the workers where all security arrangements should be kept in place. The safe accommodation at district headquarters should have a place for at least 50 to 60 people. They should be provided with food and other basic facilities as well,” he said in his statement.
