Kulgam: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said the targeted killings of the minority community members were aimed to provoke security forces to commit a mistake so that people can hit streets in protest.
However, Sinha was quick to add that police and security forces won’t ‘touch any innocent and instead continue to root-out militancy from Kashmir soil’.
He made the comments while addressing a gathering after the inauguration of the model residential school and Tribal youth Hostel in Kulgam.
“We won’t fall prey to such nefarious designs,” the LG Sinha said, adding that “Police and security forces won’t even touch any innocent as we are following the policy of gunahgaar ko chodo mad, begunah ko chedo mat (don’t spare the culprit and don’t touch the innocent.”
He said that society as a whole must condemn innocent target killings in Kashmir. “I can tell you that militancy in Kashmir is on its last leg. Target killings are acts of desperation,” he said, adding that the security forces and administration are working to ensure development across the region. “But the road to development goes through peace,” he said.
The LG said at the end of financial year 2021-2022, J&K’s tax collection increased. “We recorded 24 per cent increase in GST collection, 30 per cent growth in excise duty, 56 per cent growth in duty and 25.33 per cent growth. J&K is selling the cheapest petrol and diesel,” the LG said.
He said: “We are trying and working hard to ensure round the clock development of every district of J&K. I am happy to state that a lot of work was carried out by the government that provided huge relief to the people of Kashmir.” The LG said after the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, people living in forests have the right to live a free life.
He said money would always come from the Government of India but the fact remained that the funds never reached the common people. “Tribal community people were abandoned but since 2020, they got their rights. Prime Minister Narendera Modi launched a slew of schemes for Tribal men, women and children,” the LG said. He said giving representation to Schedule Tribes in the Assembly will go a long way in addressing the long pending issues of people associated with the tribal community.
