Kulgam terror attack triggers calls for better protection of migrants

A wave of political outrage swept Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday after terrorists shot dead two migrant labourers from Chhattisgarh in Kulgam district on Friday evening, with leaders from across the political spectrum condemning the attack and demanding enhanced protection for non-local workers.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has strongly condemned the brutal terror attack on labourers in Kulgam. “I strongly condemn this cowardly act. I have directed our security forces to step up their operations and eliminate the terrorists”, he said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said “no amount of compensation can undo the loss suffered by the families of the migrants who had come to Kashmir  from outside to earn their  livelihood. He expressed solidarity with the bereaved families during their time of grief”.

National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah said “It is not even known who carried out the attack or who the perpetrators are. There must be an investigation to identify the attackers. I do not know why this happens only when we ask for the restoration of statehood”.

Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in a strong worded statement, said “Violence Must Be Shunned and whether here or elsewhere, the spilling of innocent blood only brings more pain and suffering. Violence as a means should be shunned, instead the policy of accommodation, dialogue and engagement is the way forward to make South Asia a more peaceful and better place for all its people”.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti “Unequivocally condemned the killing of the two labourers. They work themselves to the bone far away from home only to feed their families. Unimaginably cruel to target them in such senseless acts of violence”, she said.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra also condemned the killing, describing it as a “cowardly act with nefarious designs” and calling for stronger security measures.

National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah said “These repeated attacks raise serious questions. If Kashmir today has one of the most extensive security deployments and intelligence networks in the country, how are such targeted killings continuing to take place? Every innocent life lost is a tragedy, and every such incident demands accountability and a thorough review of the security response. Violence against innocent civilians is unacceptable”.

CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who represents the Kulgam Assembly constituency where the terror strike happened, said “This is not merely an attack on two individuals. It is an attempt to spread fear and disrupt the fragile normalcy that the people of Kashmir have worked so hard to restore”.

“Such acts of violence, irrespective of who perpetrates them, are against the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have consistently rejected violence and aspire for lasting peace.  The administration must ensure adequate safety and security for migrant labourers working across the Valley and to expedite the investigation so that the perpetrators are brought to justice”, Tarigami added.

Leader of opposition and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma has also condemned the killings.