35 People killed in Kashmir

Date: 
Tuesday, March 21, 2000

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep shock and strong condemnation at the massacre of 35 people by extremists in a village in Anantnag district of Kashmir. All those killed belong to the Sikh community who have been living in this area peacefully for a long period of time.

The brutality of the killings and the targetting of a particular community is designed to further worsen the situation in the Kashmir valley.

The extremist groups reinforced by armed militants from outside have been launching a series of attacks both on the security forces and the ordinary people after the Kargil conflict. The mounting casualties of this offensive make it evident that the plans made by the central government and the state administration have failed to protect the ordinary citizens.

While the whole country will unitedly condemn this latest outrage, it is also imperative that the central government immediately take steps to instill confidence in the people and provide them with adequate security.