Srinagar: The spate of civilian killings has evoked wide condemnation in the Valley while a political party on Tuesday protested against the killings, saying that these are done to defame Kashmiris.
Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist Peoples Front, a little-known political party, protested in Srinagar's Lalchowk condemning the killings. Sheikh Muzaffar who is the president of the party said that for the last 30 years unidentified gunmen have killed thousands of civilians and this bloodshed should stop now.
"The recent civilian's killings including those of non-local labourers are aimed at defaming people of Kashmir and to damage economy," Muzaffar told ETV Bharat. Nine civilians including five non-local labourers have been killed in the last two weeks sparking an exodus of thousands of non-local labourers from the Valley.
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Altaf Ahmad, another worker of the party, said that the killings are aimed to evoke fear among people and defame the Kashmiris. The killings have been condemned by the political parties but this is the first protest by any political party against these killings.
Every year thousands of labourers from other states arrive in Valley during the summer season for work. These labourers come from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh to work at construction sites, in agricultural land and other menial jobs. Many labourers said they fled due to fear while many said that their work season is over and they are going back home.
