NHRC asks MHA and J & K Government to comply with its directions regarding recent killing of Kashmiri Pandits in J&K
On 26 March 2003, the National Human Rights Commission had issued notice to the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India as well as to the Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, seeking factual report in respect of the killing of 24 Kashmiri Pandits at Pulwama on 24 March 2003. The Commission has granted one week’s time for the purpose. However, the Commission regrets to note that even after two weeks have gone by, the response of the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India as well as that of the Chief Secretary, Government of J & K have not been received.
The Commission has thus called upon the Secretary, MHA, Government of India and the Chief Secretary, Government of J&K to submit the report within 10 days.
The Commission had received a petition dated 31 March 2003 from the President of Panun Kashmir Movement. A copy of the complaint has also been forwarded to the Secretary, MHA as well as the Chief Secretary J&K for their response.
It may be recalled that taking suo-motu cognizance of the occurrence from media reports, the Commission, in its Proceedings of 26 March 2003, had unequivocally condemned the outrageous terrorist attack that had occurred on 24 March 2003 in Nadimarg, claiming the lives of 24 Kashmiri Pandits including 11 women and 2 children. Expressing its deepest anguish and concern, the Commission had stated that such unspeakable acts of violence bore testimony to the depravity of those who engaged in terrorists acts. Such acts and their perpetrators were deeply hostile to human rights – including the most fundamental of all human rights – the right to life itself. The attack was doubly reprehensible, as it had taken place at a time when fresh efforts were underway to bring peace and reconciliation to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, objectives to which the terrorists were fundamentally opposed.
The Commission had noted that media reports had indicated that the victims were murdered despite the presence of a police picket in the vicinity of the seen of the attack. It had thus called for factual reports on the tragedy that had occurred stating that the reports should also indicate, inter-alia, such measures as may have been or were being planned to be taken to enhance the security of the affected community and to ameliorate the suffering of the families of those who had been killed or traumatized.
It is upon the non-receipt of these reports that the Commission had to issue further directions on 9 April 2003 to the MHA, Government of India and to the J & K Government for the early compliance of its directions.
The Commission has thus called upon the Secretary, MHA, Government of India and the Chief Secretary, Government of J&K to submit the report within 10 days.
The Commission had received a petition dated 31 March 2003 from the President of Panun Kashmir Movement. A copy of the complaint has also been forwarded to the Secretary, MHA as well as the Chief Secretary J&K for their response.
It may be recalled that taking suo-motu cognizance of the occurrence from media reports, the Commission, in its Proceedings of 26 March 2003, had unequivocally condemned the outrageous terrorist attack that had occurred on 24 March 2003 in Nadimarg, claiming the lives of 24 Kashmiri Pandits including 11 women and 2 children. Expressing its deepest anguish and concern, the Commission had stated that such unspeakable acts of violence bore testimony to the depravity of those who engaged in terrorists acts. Such acts and their perpetrators were deeply hostile to human rights – including the most fundamental of all human rights – the right to life itself. The attack was doubly reprehensible, as it had taken place at a time when fresh efforts were underway to bring peace and reconciliation to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, objectives to which the terrorists were fundamentally opposed.
The Commission had noted that media reports had indicated that the victims were murdered despite the presence of a police picket in the vicinity of the seen of the attack. It had thus called for factual reports on the tragedy that had occurred stating that the reports should also indicate, inter-alia, such measures as may have been or were being planned to be taken to enhance the security of the affected community and to ameliorate the suffering of the families of those who had been killed or traumatized.
It is upon the non-receipt of these reports that the Commission had to issue further directions on 9 April 2003 to the MHA, Government of India and to the J & K Government for the early compliance of its directions.