New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS): Expressing solidarity with the families of victims killed by terrorists in Kashmir, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday demanded that the Centre provide security to the people in the valley.
"The attack on Kashmiri sisters-brothers is painful and condemnable. In this difficult time we are with our Kashmiri sisters-brothers. The Central government should immediately take steps to provide security to all the citizens," she said in her tweet in Hindi.
Congress leader Manish Tewari said there was an apprehension of targeted killing, but the government did not act as,"On 5th of October 2021 Kashmir Pandit Sangharsh Samiti had written to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha warning of such targeted killings and asking for Security but unfortunately they were not heard."
On Thursday, Sonia Gandhi instructed the party in J&K to extend support to the grieving families. The statement from the Congress said, "The BJP govt's inability to protect the Kashmiri Pandit community and civilians at large is a direct result of the instability they have caused in the region. The increase in militancy and rise in violence is proof of this government's weak and apathetic attitude".
The party said in the last 48 hours five persons, including M.L. Bindroo -- a prominent Kashmiri Pandit -- have been killed in terror incidents.
"We strongly condemn these atrocious attacks on civilians. Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi has instructed in-charge Of the state Rajni Patil to extend our support to the grieving families."
Rahul Gandhi, who visited the state last month, too condemned the killings. In a tweet in Hindi, he said, "The incidents of violence are increasing in the valley. Terrorism has not stopped despite demonetisation and abrogation of 370 - the central government has totally failed to give security..."
Two teachers were shot and killed by terrorists inside a government higher secondary school in the Eidgah area of Srinagar. The slain teachers included the principal of the school, Supinder Kaur and a Kashmiri Pandit teacher Deepak Chand.
Thursday's killings come two days after the terrorists shot a local Pandit, M.L. Bindroo, a non-local vendor from Bihar and a local taxi driver in Kashmir.