Three attacks on BJP workers in 5 days

More workers resign from party, other flee from their homes

Srinagar, August 09: The suspected militants continue to target the BJP workers and leaders in Kashmir as three attacks have taken place in the last five days.

The latest took place on Sunday morning when a BJP worker was attacked in Budgam. He has been shifted to the hospital.

The police said that Abdul Hamid Najar was on morning walk when unidentified gunmen fired at him near Ompora.

Thirty eight-year-old Najar (who belongs to the Other Backward Class) was the district president of the BJP.

This is the third attack on a BJP leader or worker in the last five days. Earlier, a sarpanch was killed in South Kashmir’s Qazigund area on Thursday.

The attacks have created a fear among BJP workers, Panches and Sarpanches in the valley. After these attacks, several BJP workers had announced their dissociation with the party.
At least four workers of the BJP Sunday resigned from the party in Budgam.  They also sought forgiveness from the people.

“I resign from the membership of the BJP from today. I have no concern with the party and have no contact with the BJP,” one of the former workers of the BJP from Budgam said.

On Thursday, suspected militants shot dead BJP Sarpanch Sajad Ahmad Khanday in Qazigund area of Kulgam district. While on Wednesday, a BJP Sarpanch Arif Ahmad was shot at, leaving him critically injured.

These attacks have created a fear among political workers, panches, sarpanches, and councilors in the valley. Many have fled their homes.

“We put our lives in risk after contesting polls but nobody is bothered about our security. We live under constant fear. The recent attacks on Sarpanches have triggered a fresh fear among grassroots representatives,” a Sarpanch from South Kashmir told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

Several political workers mostly associated with the BJP have resigned.
Muhammad Rafiq Bhat, BJP General Secretary for Dooru constituency in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, announced his resignation from the party on Thursday.
Independent Sarpanch Muhammad Iqbal from Chandan Pajan area of Devsar, Kulgam uploaded a video on social media announcing his resignation.

Several BJP workers from Kulgam and Anantnag resigned from the party on Thursday seeking forgiveness from people.
On Wednesday, three BJP workers from Qazigund had announced their resignations.
Several BJP leaders have also resigned from the party in North Kashmir.

This comes after a BJP youth leader Waseem Bari along with his father and brother were killed in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district last month.(KINS)