In particular, the people of Rajouri have consistently stood by the security forces and have put up more of a fight than any soldier to maintain security and drive away those with ill intentions. But the murders have demonstrated that something is seriously wrong and needs the administration’s prompt attention. The perpetrators of the killings want to paint a graphic picture of J&K—particularly the Jammu division—and want to get more attention by assaulting minorities outside of Kashmir. It is evident that killings of the minority community members in Kashmir did not have the desired effect, forcing the assailants to change their target to make their bloody attack garner more attention and response.
The situation is absolutely clear: efforts are being made to guarantee that the fire, which has been burning in Kashmir for a while now, spreads to the Jammu division, and individuals from the minority populations are being made to feel afraid. To make more noise and keep the fire burning, with the blood of innocent people used as fuel, they want to undermine and destroy the sense of community by committing acts of terror repeatedly in different locations. Both the government and the security forces must become more alert to stop the fire from spreading further and make sure that innocent people are safe and protected.
When faced with violence in the 1990s and more recently, Kashmiri pandits grabbed what they could and fled their motherland in sorrow, but if the targeted bloodshed continues, where would the people of the Jammu division go? What are they going to do when they’re in a precarious, unknown situation? Is fleeing going to be the ultimate way out?
The onus is on the central Government, security forces, and the LG-led administration to strike back and ensure that those who are putting forth great effort to succeed in their evil designs are brought to justice and that their nefarious plans are defeated. These evil designs want to see terror spread its wings and destroy the social fabric in J&K, as they have done in Kashmir. A positive message has been given out about avenging the innocent killings of Rajouri, but a comprehensive strategy is required to nip the evil in the bud once and for all. A proper strike back—to flush out the perpetrators—is needed, not damage control.
