JAMMU: Blaming the state government for the loss of lives in shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control, the Opposition National Conference has asked why the people in vulnerable areas were "allowed to become fodder of cannons" by not "shifting" them to safer areas.
"The State Government is squarely responsible for the latest killing of seven civilians in Poonch-Balakote sector, as it allowed people to become fodder of the canons", NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana said late last night while leading a party delegation to the affected village in Poonch to take stock of the situation and to express solidarity with the sufferers.
The delegation visited the affected village on the directions of the party President Farooq Abdullah and Working President Omar Abdullah on Sunday, NC spokesman said.
Rana observed that despite the Line of Control in Poonch-Rajouri sector becoming hot for the past several days, the government did not bother to assess the situation and to move the people to "safety".
"It has shown criminal negligence by allowing the situation precipitate and reach such a point where death becomes inevitable", he said while lamenting over the lack of medical assistance and ambulances to meet the situation.
He said National Conference President and the functionaries down below kept visiting the forward areas and cautioning against threat to lives but still the rudderless administration chose to remain a mute spectator.
"This happens when there is no political will to face the situation, which is turning worse with each passing day", he added.
Accusing the Centre for allowing the situation to drift, Rana said, "only hype and bravado were no solution to problem, which needs cautious and sagacious approach".
He also claimed it was the "first and the only such political group" comprising of State Vice President and former minister Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari and the State Secretary Racchpal Singh, MLA Mendhar Javed Rana and Provincial Youth NC President Ajaz Jan reached the affected village amid shelling and against wishes of the District Administration.