Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to let an all-party delegation to visit Kashmir to assess the on-ground situation after five non-Kashmiri labourers were killed in a terrorist attack.
The letter came after terrorists killed five non-Kashmiri labourers in Kulgam district of South Kashmir on the very day a group of European MPs were facilitated by the Centre to visit the state. Jammu and Kashmir has been on lockdown since August 5 when its special status was revoked by the BJP-led government through abrogation of Article 370.
The migrant labourers hailed from Murshidabad district in West Bengal—Chowdhury’s home turf.
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Chowdhary, leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said in his letter: “I urge your office further to extend financial support to victims' families from your relief fund.”
Concerns about possible human rights violations have been raised by opposition parties as the mainstream Kashmiri politicians, along with others, have been detained amid communications shutdown. Only recently the government has been lifting the communications blockade in a phased manner. But members of opposition parties have not been allowed to enter the Valley.
After the foreign delegation was allowed in the Valley, the Congress criticised the move pointing out that politicians and lawmakers from Indian parties were not given this chance.
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On August 24, a delegation of opposition leaders from eight parties, including Rahul Gandhi, was sent back from Srinagar. They had criticised the government for hiding the truth and alleged that the Centre was lying about the security situation being under control in the Valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday condemned the killing of five labourers from West Bengal, terming it a cowardly act of terrorists.
"The JKPCC has strongly condemned the killing of 5 labourers from West Bengal in Kitrusu Village of Kulgam district in South Kashmir last evening. It is a cowardly act of terrorists," a party spokesman said.
The JKPCC also expressed shock over the deaths of one civilian and injuries to some others in Pakistan shelling today.
(With inputs from agencies)
