Why in news?
There is an increase in the number of deaths of civilians recently, including those of the minority community after terror attacks in J&K.
What is the recent happening?
- The dissent in the Valley with the recent administrative and political measures is being exploited to trigger communal discord and violence.
- The recent attacks are carried out allegedly by a shadowy force calling itself The Resistance Front (TRF), termed by security forces as being set up by the LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba).
- The attacks are a major setback when the number of violent incidents in the Kashmir Valley was the lowest in 5 years.
What is the impact?
- Pushed the Valley’s minority Hindu and Sikh communities into a state of fear.
- Many Kashmiri Pandit and Sikh employees abstained from work or took leave temporarily, worried about their security.
- Reminds the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits due to terror attacks in the early 1990s.
What does this call for?
- A reassurance of security from the Government for members of the minority communities such as the Pandits and the Sikhs.
- A commitment for solidarity with the victims from the various political forces and civil society.
- Initiatives by the civil society to foster communal amity and to mobilise people across communities against hatred.
What lies ahead?
- While the above are temporary responses, the dissatisfaction over the abrogation of J&K’s special status, its bifurcation and designation as a UT continues.
- Immediate renewal of political dialogue to address this concern as well as the resumption of political and press freedoms is essential for long-standing peace.
Source: The Hindu
