Bandipora killings: J&K BJP chief, others asked to extend stay at Valley

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 10

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the J&K BJP president to boost the morale of the party cadre after Bandipora killings, party’s national general secretary Ram Madhav is likely to visit Kashmir on Sunday to meet family members of killed party leader Waseem Bari.

“J&K party chief and other senior leaders who were rushed to Bandipora after Wednesday evening killings have been asked by the high command to extend their stay in the Valley,” a source said, adding: “The aim of Madhav’s visit is to restore shattered confidence of party’s Kashmir cadre.”

The sources said after reaching Srinagar on Sunday morning, Madhav would straightway go to the residence of Bari to meet with his wife and other family members.

“As per the preliminary schedule prepared by the local unit, Madhav would also interact with workers from different parts of the Kashmir Valley at Srinagar on the same day. His visit to Kashmir would be followed by other central leaders of the party because BJP high-command has decided to take every possible step to restore shattered confidence of party workers in Valley.”

The sources also said BJP’s general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul is already camping in Kashmir Valley during the last one week.

“Koul has reached Kashmir two-day before Bandipora killings”, a source said and added that the high command has assigned the job to Koul to remain in touch with Valley-based cadre.

As reported earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Ravindra Raina on Thursday and asked him to boost the morale of the party cadre of the UT.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda spoke to Ravinder Raina on the gruesome killings of Bari along with his father and younger brother.