Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre over the recent targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking to Twitter, the Thiruvananthapuram MP wrote: "The recent targeted killings in Kashmir show how insecurity is growing despite Govt's much-touted gains. After a beloved Kashmiri Pandit pharmacist MakhanLal Bindroo was killed, a golgappa seller yesterday, two teachers today (all KPs)&a KashmiriMuslim. Kashmir policy in tatters."
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, earlier in the day, also condemned the incidents of violence in Kashmir and alleged that the central government has completely failed to provide security to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Incidents of violence are increasing in Kashmir. Terrorism has neither stopped due to demonetisation nor after the abrogation of Article 370 - the central government has completely failed to provide security," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
"We strongly condemn the attacks on our Kashmiri brothers and sisters and send our condolences to the families of the deceased," the Wayanad MP added.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said the recent "targetted terror attacks on innocents are part of an attempt to disturb communal harmony" in the union territory. He added that the security agencies have been given a free hand to take the strictest action against the terrorists.
"The targetted terror attacks on innocents are part of an attempt to disturb communal harmony here. All efforts will be made to ensure that (terrorists') attempts don't succeed," Sinha said. "Security agencies have been given a free hand to take the strictest action against such people (terrorists). Those who have committed these crimes will soon be brought to justice," he added.
Sinha further said the recent terror attacks are a "part of a well-thought-out conspiracy in the backdrop of increasing tourist influx and planned industrial investment in Kashmir".
For the unversed, two teachers were killed in a terrorist attack at a government school in the Eidgah area of Srinagar today.
Earlier on Wednesday, a street hawker was shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar. The incident took place near Madina Chowk, Lalbazar where terrorists fired upon the victim Virender Paswan. Paswan was a resident of Bihar's Bhagalpur district and worked as a street vendor. He was residing at Alamgari Bazar, Zadibal.
Also, a businessman, Makhan Lal Bindroo, was killed by terrorists in Srinagar on Tuesday evening.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
