‘Unable to protect citizens’, Shiv Sena attacks BJP over J&K targeted killings

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena on Thursday attacked the Centre over the targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was unable to protect citizens.

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to pay attention to the issues of national security. It said the BJP, which targeted Congress and other parties over the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s, should now be answerable for the series of killings in Kashmir under its rule.

Shiv Sena lawmaker Sanjay Raut said there has been no change in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir even after it was made a Union Territory under and put under the direct Centre rule. The Sena said the government is unable to protect the Pandits, Sikhs and Muslims in Kashmir.

“...Kashmiri Pandits, soldiers, and Muslim police officials are being killed, but the government is unable to protect them. The Prime Minister and the [Union] home minister are engaged in politics and elections. They need to pay attention to the situation in Kashmir. Unfortunately, they are unable to see the anger among the Kashmiris because they are busy with politics, attacks on opponents, and misuse of central agencies against opponents,” Raut said.

The Sena mouthpiece said Jammu and Kashmir is under the Central rule. “...then why is there still violence in Jammu and Kashmir? Why have not the targeted killings by the terrorists stopped? Why are Hindus, Sikhs, Pandits and Muslims killed openly?”

BJP leader Madhav Bhandari declined to comment. “The state BJP unit has a policy to not comment on Saamana...it is just a newspaper.”