Several BJP workers in Kashmir continue to resign after attacks by militants

In the backdrop of recent killings of BJP workers in Kashmir, the process of resignation by the saffron party workers continued on Monday.

In the last one month 17 BJP workers, including panches and sarpanches, have publicly announced resignations after the killings spread a sense of fear among the saffron party functionaries and workers across Kashmir. Of these, eight have quit over the last 24 hours after the killing of a BJP worker in Budgam.

A senior police official said that over a hundred BJP workers have been shifted to secured accommodations while over 25 others have been provided security after the killing of the saffron party leader Wasim Bari, along with his father and brother, in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

Since the killing of the Bari family, four more BJP workers have been killed by the militants, three in south Kashmir and one in Budgam.

In a statement Monday, the party said the targeting of BJP leaders was part of a “sinister design”, hinting that it might not be just Pakistan-backed militants trying to scuttle the revival of the political process in J&K but also local elements.

“Unfortunately, only the BJP workers were daring to reach out to the people in their constituencies because they felt obliged to serve those who have elected them. All those with a status quo mindset, including Pakistan, are against the revival of the political process,” the statement said.

“Is it only Pak sponsored terrorists or some more who may be interested in neutralising the challenge posed by BJP? Request the L-G admin for a thorough investigation,” it added.

On Sunday, BJP’s J&K General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul wrote to party’s national president J P Nadda and sought safe accommodation for the party leaders in every district of Kashmir and urged workers and leaders not to come out without security cover.