Srinagar
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries on Tuesday said that they appreciate the anguish expressed by the Hon’ble Chief Minister after every incident of death and murder and expect that in Chief Minister ’s capacity as the Chairperson of the Unified Command and as the State Home Minister she will issue directions initiating the following measures aimed at protecting the lives of the citizens which is a primary responsibility of the State.
According to a statement issued here, KCCI demanded the Hon’ble Chief Minister to restrain her troops by ordering immediate cessation of hostile operations being carried out by the government forces in civilian areas which invariably trigger the killings of innocent and unarmed civilians; the loss of lives of our young generation is an irreparable loss which we can no longer tolerate nor afford.
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry condemns the killing of young R Tirumani of Chennai in a stone pelting incident. The Kashmir Chamber extends its heartfelt condolences to the family to bear this heart-wrenching loss and prays for peace to the departed soul. At the same time, we would request the State Government to identify and punish the perpetrators of this gory crime which has brought a bad name to our State.
The endless loss of Kashmiri lives is a matter of pain and anguish for all of us and we demand that senior functionaries of the State Government be accordingly sensitized and disciplined over the macabre celebrations being carried out after any killing. The loss of any human life is a sombre occasion and jingoistic statements at such a time are not helping anyone’s case. The result has only been a sharp and avoidable increase in the number of fatalities on both sides as also what is cold-bloodedly referred to as “collateral damage” meaning the killing of innocent civilians. Respect for the dead is a cardinal principle in all conflicts and we expect no more from the State.
There are disturbing reports about the huge financial rewards being the reason for having created a vested interest which directly benefits from the escalation in violence. Reports suggest that youth, students and educated individuals are pushed and provoked to feed this growing industry. They are subjected to physical and mental abuse. If true, please put an end to it, the spokesman mentioned.
The Kashmir Chamber is of the considered opinion that the State Government has been very hesitant in taking any effective action over the killings of protestors due to which it is becoming a regular feature. We demand conclusive investigation and accountability in every case of death and maiming. Over a period of time, probes and commissions of enquiries have been announced in hundreds of cases of murder and maimings; but sadly none of them has satisfied the ends of justice, which is a matter of shame and concern. Someone in the long chain of command has to be accountable.
The conflict is essentially political and cannot be resolved by military might. Only a serious and sustained dialogue with stakeholders can help in arriving at a resolution. The dialogues initiated earlier have been totally lacking seriousness and appear to be cosmetic in nature which has aggravated the situation. There is a dire need to reach out to all stakeholders, as defined in the Agenda of Alliance, and to find ways and means of controlling the chaos. Domination and bullying tactics have so far only proved counterproductive and we feel that the time has come to acknowledge the presence of the elephant in the room and proceed to address the legitimate aspirations of the people based on historical facts and to honour commitments made.
In view of the grim situation prevailing in the State, the Government may consider this as “Hue and Cry” Notice from the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry seeking the protection of human lives, an end to hostilities and initiation of a meaningful dialogue. The Kashmir Chamber is hopeful that the suggestions made above are considered with the gravity they deserve and acted upon in letter and spirit.
