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A lawyer named Vineet Jindal has written to the Chief Justice of India N.V.Ramana asking him to take cognizance of targeted killings of Hindus and Sikhs in Kashmir.

The letter states that the recent killings in Kashmir Valley specifically targeted towards the minority  Sikh and Hindu communities has reminded the people of the gory incident where 36 Sikhs were butchered at Anantnag in 2000. It further states that 7 Civilians most of whom were Hindus and Sikhs were killed in the valley in the last 5 days.

It mentions that the targeted killings of Pharmacist Makhan Lal Bindroo, Supinder Kaur, who was the Sikh principal of Government boys school  at Srinaragrm and Deepak Chan has evoked a feeling of agony, fear and insecurity among the Sikhs and Hindus in Kashmir.

The letter further states that many government employees from the Hindu and Sikh Communities, who returned to the valley after being given jobs under the Prime Minister’s special employment scheme for Kashmiri migrants have left their accommodations fearing for their lives. This systemic killing of minorities in the valley has created a sense of fear, vulnerability and insecurity among them.

According to the letter the government of India has initiated several schemes and has provided many job opportunities to many minority migrants to resettle in their native place in Kashmir to provide a sense of belongingness. The declaration of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory was done after the abolition fo Article 370 of the Constitution of India, with the intent of creating harmonious and secure environment for the migrants minority migrants at Jammu and Kashmir. However, the recent targeted killings of these minorities have again terrorised them and dampened their spirit of being a part of Kashmir.

The letter states that this calls for an action of creating and adopting a comprehensive mechanism to secure the lives of these minorities and prevent them from being killed by providing them with security. The letter stated that these killings are a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution which provides for right to life and personal liberty.

The letter further urges the Court to issue directions to the government of India to

1. To provide adequate security to Hindu and Sikh minorities in the valley on immediate basis;
2. Establish a special delegated unit to structure and administer a system to ensure the safety and security of minority groups in Kashmir;
3. An investigation into the killings by National Security Agency;
4. Grant a compensation of Rupees one crore in addition to government jobs to the family members of the members of the minority who were killed.

It is to be noted that the court had recently taken Suo Moto cognizance of the Lakimpur Kheri killings based on a letter written by 2 lawyers to the CJI.

[Photo credits: ANI]