Sajid Raina
Srinagar, May 31: Threatening to migrate, Kashmiri Pandits Tuesday hit the streets in various places across Kashmir on Tuesday to protest against the fresh killing of a woman teacher by militants in Kulgam district.
Rajni Bala (36), who belonged to Samba district and was posted at a government school in Gopalpora Kulgam, was shot dead by militants outside her school. Soon after the news of her killing spread, KPs staged massive protests in Srinagar’s Batwara and Indhira Nagar area and blocked the main road. Protests erupted at Sheikhpora, Budgam, Vessu, Qazigund, Ganderbal and Kulgam as well.
While demanding justice for the teacher and seeking better safety arrangements for the community in the Valley amid a recent rise in targeted killings, the protesters, mostly women, raised slogans “Minorities ko jeene do” (Let the minorities live). They also threatened to migrate to Jammu en-masse.
Scores of protesters said that the government should relocate them to Jammu or any other part of India as they were no longer safe in Kashmir. “Such incidents have only shattered their dreams of resettling permanently in the valley,” said Sunita, a woman protester at Indhira Nagar. “We were still mourning Rahul’s death when our another female colleague was killed just outside the school.” The protestors blocked the main road for a few hours and later dispersed peacefully.
A protester at Sheikhpora, Budgam said that the government has not done anything good for them. “We have no option other than to leave Kashmir as we are falling to bullets one by one in broad daylight,” he said. “We have decided that if the government doesn’t not take any concrete steps for us within 24 hours, there will be mass migration to Jammu.”
A group of KP protesters at Ganderbal alleged that the government has not done anything for them. “We will leave Kashmir. We don’t have to stay here because we are totally unsafe here,” they said.
Sheetal, a KP protester said: “We do not understand what sin we have committed. Don’t we have the right to live?” A candle light protest was also staged in Kulgam district as well. Witnesses said that employees from various public offices in Kulgam including traders association and civil society members staged a candle light march against the killing of Rajni, a government school teacher at Gopalpora, Kulgam, who was shot dead by militants outside her school. The protest march was held from main market Kulgam to Ghanta Ghar Kulgam.
