Jammu & Kashmir

Arms training should be given to Kashmiri Pandits, vulnerable Muslims in Kashmir: Former DGP

File Photo.

Jammu: Days after the assassination of Kashmiri Pandit Sarpanch, Ajay Pandita Bharti, in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, former DGP of J&K Police Shesh Paul Vaid has spoken in favour of giving arms to ‘minority Hindus and vulnerable sections among the Muslim community’ in the Kashmir Valley.

Speaking to India Today TV at his Jammu residence, the former J&K top cop said that in order to inculcate a feeling of security among the minority community of Kashmiri Hindus, all alternatives must be sought for.

“There is no harm in giving arms training and providing weapons to the minority Hindu community as well as to the vulnerable section of the Muslims in the Kashmir valley,” he said.

He added, “Village Defence Committees (VDCs) can be constituted in the Valley. However, this formula requires detailed planning. Forming VDCs in the Kashmir Valley is difficult, but not impossible.”

The erstwhile officer recollected how while being the SSP of Udhampur in 1995 he was actively involved in establishing the first VDC in Bagankote village which was part of Udhampur district at that time; now a part of Reasi district after being carved out of Udhampur in 2007.

“After the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir valley, the terrorists then started targeting the minority Hindus in Chenab valley region of Jammu division. Many massacres of minority Hindus were carried out by the terrorists in the Chenab valley. But soon VDCs were constituted and people were given arms training. Muslims were also made part of the VDCs as they also faced terror attacks. This formula proved to be very successful and the mass exodus of Hindus was prevented,” SP Vaid told India Today TV.

 

Free Press Kashmir is now on Telegram. Click here to Join

Click to comment
To Top