 Early Times Report
Jammu , June 9: The mortal remains of sarpanch Ajay Pandita alias Bharti who was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag on Monday, were cremated at Jammu’s Shakti Nagar crematorium on Tuesday.
Pandita (40) was the sarpanch of Lukbawan village in the Larkipora area. He was a member of the Congress party. “We won’t leave Kashmir but I have a demand that the government should first create a regiment of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley,” said Vijay Pandita, brother of the deceased, who lit the pyre.
“He was helpful to all. He loved his roots and always extended a helping hand to the needy. After becoming sarpanch he had decided to work for the welfare of Muslim villagers”, he added.
Ajay’s father Dwarika Nath Pandita described his son as a lion and patriot.
“My son was a lion. He was a true patriot. In 1996 we returned to Kashmir and re-started our lives. At that time Ajay was around 21 years old. He took bank loans and reconstructed our orchards and house,” he said.
Pandita recalled that Ajay always rejected his suggestions that they should leave Kashmir because the situation was not normal. “He used to say that it is our home. He used Bharti in his name to show his love for the country. Some anti-nationals are behind his killing. They shot him in his back. He was a lion. My son has sacrificed his life for the country,” said Pandita. “There are forces, who don’t want Pandits to return and my son fell to the bullets of such ideology. We are not afraid, but will return and fulfill my son’s mission”, he added. The Kashmiri Pandit fraternity this morning attended the last rites of the Sarpanch in large. KK Khosa, President Kashmiri Pandit Sabha said, “We condemn the killing and it is very unfortunate that a Kashmiri Pandit leader was targetted by the militants.”
He further added, “the government should provide security to the elected Panchayat representatives of the community and the mainstream political parties should come forward to address the grievances of the people.” J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina termed the incident a handiwork of Pakistan.
“Pakistan is frustrated and started targetting innocent people through its recruits but they have to pay the price,” he added.
The Kashmir BJP Panchayat Raj Cell (Kashmir) today paid tribute to the slain sarpanch at party headquarter in Srinagar. Tens of BJP workers and office-bearers jointly paid tribute to the deceased Sarpanch, who was killed yesterday by unknown terrorists outside his home.
Meanwhile, an organisation of migrant Kashmiri pandits has called for a judicial probe into Sarpanch’s murder. An Organisation of the migrant Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the murder of a minority community Sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir`s Anantnag district.
Satish Mahaldar, Chairman of Reconciliation, Return and Rehabilitation of Migrant Pandits said in a statement, “Ajay Pandita was living in the Valley because of his unbounded love for his motherland and his concerns about the village he was living in”.
Demanding a judicial probe into the murder, Mahaldar said, “Pandita`s fight as a representative of the minority community had given hope to the minority community and his martyrdom shall not go in vain. “Those who killed him might have thought their goal will be achieved. But, they are forgetting that by killing their own people they are only doing disservice to Kashmir. “By targeting and killing their Kashmiri brethren, and especially those who are working for the poor people, the killers are being dishonest to their own motherland.
“I appeal for shunning of the gun and to share grievances, those can be fought together to achieve the objective of peace and brotherhood”.
The murder of the Sarpanch has been widely condemned in Kashmir, both by political leaders and the common man.
All India Kashmiri Samaj convened an emergency web meeting today to condole demise of Ajay Pandita Bharti in Kashmir. Over 100 members took part in the webinar from almost all parts of India. The cited communiqué was read in the meeting and proposed to be released to the media houses.
All India Kashmir Samaj unequivocally condemns the brutal murder of Sh. Ajay Pandita, Sarpanch of Lokbhavan, Anantnag district, today by Jihadis. It is a well-planned murder to send multiple messages to both Kashmiri Pandits as also to the union government.
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