STATE TIMES NEWS JAMMU: Panun Kashmir organised the Gool 1997 Martyrs’ Shradanjali Diwas Programme at Jammu on Tuesday. The function was organised in a virtual mode in view of the COVID-19 restrictions in place. Virender Raina, President Panun Kashmir presided over the function and Kamal Bagati, General Secretary, Panun Kashmir moderated the proceedings of the programme. The function was inaugurated with the lighting of traditional lamp before the photo images of the Martyrs Sushil Kumar Bhat, Ravinder Kabu and Ashok Raina, who were selectively killed by the Jehadi terrorists while they were going to Gool to join their duties as lecturers in 1997. The two other martyrs who were brutally killed near Sarthal-Kishtwar and Doda included Kanya Lal Duda and Shiban Lal Garib. Floral Tributes were offered to all the martyrs on the occasion. On the occasion rich tributes were also paid to Rakesh Pandita who was martyred in Tral Kashmir by Pak sponsored terrorists recently. Virender Raina termed the killings of Gool and the martyrdom of Rakesh Pandita as murder of knowledge and democracy to drag Kashmir back to dark ages. The acts of these enemies who commit such crimes against humanity show that the perpetrators of terrorism neither like education nor democracy nor peace in the society. Virender Raina said that the genocide against Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus continues in Jammu and Kashmir. The recent statement of Congress leader, Digvijay Singh to have a relook at Art 370, if Cong. comes to power is disgraceful and tends to strengthen the view point of Pak PM Imran Khan who has echoed similar views in an interview recently, Virender said. Digvijay’s statement that KPs were getting reservation in jobs in Kashmir is totally false and he is misleading the nation, he added. Making scathing attack on the administration, Kamal Bagati termed the killings as a complete intelligence failure and a security lapse and urged upon the govt to provide foolproof security to the minority political activists on an individual basis and to the PM package employees on collective basis as they are always soft targets. Upinder Kaul, General Secretary said that those who are involved in the ethnic cleansing and genocide of indigenous people of Kashmir are moving scot free. Panun Kashmir reiterated i’s demand to establish a special crimes tribunal to investigate the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Kashmiri Pandits. The programme concluded by reciting Gayatri Mantra and Shantipath followed by observing one minute silence. The programme was also attended by Sameer Bhat, Convenor PK Youth, Ashok Chrungoo, P.K.Bhan, Kewal Krishen and Sameer Mattoo. The vote of thanks was presented by Vimla Chrungoo, Secretary, DOPK. A special prayer was also offered for the fast recovery of Sr. Activist Vijay Saproo, who was recently operated upon for a medical condition.
