On Sunday, peaceful candlelight rallies were organised in many parts of Kashmir in response to the recent killing of Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhatt.
A peaceful candlelight protest was organised by the community members from the Migrant Colony Hawal in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district also.
The Pandit protesters held placards and candles in their hands and marched outside the colony, while the local police provided them with security.
Among the many demands of the protestors, their relocation to a safe place outside Kashmir was prominent. They also sought a thorough investigation into the killing of Rahul Bhatt and demanded an end to the spate of targeted civilian killings in the Valley.
It is pertinent to state that over 4000 migrant Kashmir Pandit employees have been given jobs under Prime Minister’s special employment package in the Valley but live in colonies, guarded by the local police.
The jobs under PM’s special scheme are given as part of the government policy to bring back migrant Pandits to the Valley.
The attack on Rahul Bhatt and earlier attacks on some Kashmiri Pandits and migrant workers are seen as an attempt to put fear in the minds of the minority community and disturb the communal harmony in the Himalayan region.