118 civilians killed by ultras in Jammu and Kashmir since Aug 2019, RS told

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 20

Nityanand Rai, Minister of State (MoS) for Home, on Wednesday informed Rajya Sabha (RS) that 118 civilians, including five Kashmiri Pandits and 16 others from Hindu and Sikh communities, had been killed in Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre did away with the Union Territory’s special status under Article 370 in August 2019. Responding to a written question in the House, Rai said 5,502 Kashmiri Pandits had been provided jobs in different departments in the Valley and no Kashmiri Pandit is learnt to have migrated from the Valley since August 2019.

The minister said there had been substantial decline in terrorism activities in the last three years as only 229 such incidents took place in 2021 against 417 in 2018.

“From August 5, 2019 till July 9 this year, 128 security personnel and 118 civilians were killed by terrorists. Out of 118 civilians killed, 5 were Kashmiri Pandits and 16 belonged to the Hindu and Sikh communities,” he said, adding that no pilgrim had been killed during the period.

The minister asserted that the government had a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and the security situation had improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rai also informed the House that the Central Government had approved construction of 6,000 transit accommodations for Kashmiri migrant employees working in the Valley under a special package of the Prime Minister. “The government has acquired 2,359.45-hectare land for various projects, including roads, railways, schools, playgrounds, parks, border fencing and industrial estates in three years (till June 2022),” he said.

“Construction of 1,025 units has been completed or substantially completed. The work on 1,872 units is underway and that on the remaining ones has been taken up,” he added.

‘No Kashmiri Pandit migrated in 3 years’

• Union Minister Nityanand Rai says no Kashmiri Pandit is learnt to have migrated from the Valley since August 2019.
• 5,502 Kashmiri Pandits have been provided jobs in different departments.

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