SRINAGAR: Asserting that Article 370, which grants special status to J&K, secures State’s pluralistic ethos, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, on Monday announced exgratia relief to those people who were killed during Amarnath land row agitation in 2008.
Her announcement about the compensation of Amarnath land row victims came barely a week after she announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for people killed during over five-month long unrest in the Valley last year.
“Article 370 is not any other entry in the rule book but it has to be understood in depth and with perspective. It’s not only about securing the geography of Jammu & Kashmir alone but the pluralistic ethos and cultural diversity of the State as well,” Mehbooba said while winding up discussion on ‘Motion of Thanks’ on Governor’s address in Legislative Council in Jammu, the winter capital of the State.
She said unique examples of this pluralistic ethos were witnessed during the unrest of last year when despite curfew Amarnath yatris injured in an accident were rescued and treated by local people, a Pandit marriage was solemnized by Muslim neighbors when nobody could dare to venture out or when many of Kashmiri parents sent their wards to Jammu for studying.
She appealed the members to rise above party lines and work to minimise the mistrust and discord between regions and people in the State. “The need of the hour is that Jammu & Kashmir remains united as a single entity so that it approaches the issues confronting it with singular attention and focus. This was the biggest objective with her party while forming Government in the State in 2015.”
Mehbooba said a large number of those killed, blinded, injured or affected in any way during the five-month-long unrest in the Valley belonged to very poor families and many of them were orphans who had nobody to guide.
“As such the rehabilitation of their kin or these injured lies with the government. I announced setting up of Special Investigating Teams to probe these killing besides announcing the ex gratia relief of Rs 5 lakhs for the next of kin of the deceased”, she said.
According to government figures, at 76 civilian and two policemen were killed during the over five-month long unrest triggered by killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 last year. However, unofficial reports said that 94 people including two policemen were killed during the unrest.
Mehbooba announced that victims of 2008 Amarnath land row agitation in the State would also be paid ex gratia and other financial compensation as will be paid to Kashmir unrest victims.
“Similarly, the kin of Chamail Singh, a civilian from Paragwal area of Jammu province killed in Pakistan in 2013, would also be duly compensated,” she said adding her Government won’t differentiate on the basis of caste, creed or colour when it comes to the rehabilitation of its people.
After she announced compensation of Rs 5 lakhs and jobs to families of next of killed and blinded during the unrest in Kashmir in Legislative Assembly last week, the BJP and Jammu-based parties had demanded compensation for the victims, who died during Amarnath land row agitation in the State in 2008 when Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was heading Congress-PDP coalition government in the State.
The Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta, who is also a BJP member, had also urged the government to consider granting compensation to the next of kin of those who lost their lives or were injured during the Amarnath land row agitation in the State in 2008.
Over 60 people were killed during the Amarnath land row agitation in Valley while State BJP president MLA Sat Paul Sharma said 12 persons were also killed during the agitation in Jammu.