Reading Hanuman Chalisa, turning off loudspeakers won't solve Kashmiri Pandits' issue, says Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut pointed out that reciting the Hanuman Chalisa or switching off loudspeakers will not solve the problems of the Kashmiri Pandits and that the central government must take tough decisions to end the "atmosphere of instability" in the Union Territory.

Raut's remarks came a day after a Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhatt was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district.

The incident attracted condemnation from the J-K Governor and the BJP leaders who have alleged Pakistan's hand behind the targeted killing.

Speaking to the reporters here, Raut said: "Don't raise fingers at Pakistan time and again, what are we doing for the Kashmiri Pandits? Even after the revocation of Article 370, they are not safe and are not able to return to the Valley. Now the common people are not safe, it has no more remained limited to the Pandits," he said.

"The atmosphere of instability that has been created in Kashmir once again will have to be finished by taking harsh decisions. Issues like Hanuman Chalisa and loudspeakers will solve the issue of neither Kashmiri pandits nor Kashmir," the Shiv Sena leader said.

Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah "emotional on the issue of Kashmiri pandits", Raut said that the Union Home Minister needs to think about their killings "very seriously".

"The Kashmiri Pandit was a government employee. It is happening time and again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are very emotional about Kashmiri pandits. There were talks about their return to the Valley. Don't know how many of them returned in seven years. But the ones who were already there are not being allowed to live and they are being killed. The Home Minister needs to think about it very seriously. The killing of the young Kashmiri Pandit is painful," he said.

BJP J-K leader Kavinder Gupta condemned Bhat's killing and said that the security forces need to change their strategy according to the changing strategy of Pakistan which now uses terrorists in the civil uniform to kill people.

"I express condolences to the family of the deceased. It is an unfortunate incident which should not have taken place. The administration will have to think on the targeted killing of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The security forces have done a good job and killed nearly 500 terrorists in the last one and a half years," Gupta said.

"The Pakistan sponsored terrorists carry out such killings in the civil uniform through pistol attacks. If they have changed their strategy, our security forces need to change their strategy as well," he added.

Speaking to the reporters in Jammu, BJP J-K president Ravinder Raina said that the security forces have eliminated the terrorists in the past and they will do it again.

"There is anger across Jammu and Kashmir and India against the cowardly killing of the Kashmiri pandit. The terrorists will be eliminated. The Indian Army, J-K police and security forces have killed them in the past, they will do it again," he said.

Earlier today, the last rites of Rahul Bhat were performed at J-K's Bantalab.

ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, and Deputy Commissioner Avny Lavasa were present at the cremation ground for the last rites. On Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the "barbaric killing".

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