Kulgam terror attack: Tarigami calls for justice, accountability

Kulgam, Feb 07: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and MLA Kulgam, Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Friday said that investigating crimes is in the people’s interest, but no innocent person should be harmed during the process. He added that many people are still in detention following the Kulgam terror attack, which benefits neither the affected families nor the community.
Tarigami made these remarks while speaking to reporters after visiting the home of a slain ex-Army man in Behibagh, Kulgam. There are no words to describe the pain felt in Behibagh village. It is extremely saddening and shameful,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader said, “Why has this happened? This is our misfortune. We have been witnessing such misfortunes for many years. I don’t know if it will ever stop. I would like to request the people to learn a lesson from this. To the youth, I say: this is a 35-year-old experience—bullets have not solved the problem.”
He added, “The cemeteries are full. Children have died of the bullets, and houses have been destroyed. This is a tragedy filled with regret. The biggest crime is shooting an unarmed person. This is the act of cowards, not the brave. The brave protect themselves and others. This is why we need an investigation. This is not a trivial matter. The Behibagh slain ex-Army man left behind four children, and his wife is in the hospital. If this continues, how many more children will become orphans? This is our responsibility, the responsibility of every citizen, regardless of political differences. The point of view can differ, but the process of violence cannot be justified by any ideology. It is not suitable. It must stop. We have to raise our voices.”
Tarigami said the administration must investigate why and how this happened. “Investigating a crime is in our interest, but no innocent person should be harmed. Many people are still in detention, and this helps neither the affected families nor the community,” he said. “It is important to establish peace. Peace can only be established if it benefits the people—if they can earn a living, support their families, and live with dignity.”
On Kathua incident, the MLA Kulgam said, “What happened in Kathua is lawlessness. If law enforcement becomes an example of lawlessness, it is very saddening. We saw it in Baramulla too. Shooting without proper cause or permission is unacceptable. In our country, the law does not allow this.”
“My appeal to the security forces and those in power is that they should investigate these incidents thoroughly. Such incidents do not benefit the country or the people here. They only create obstacles and doubts,” he said.
He added that the government led by Omar Abdullah has given a strong statement on these incidents. “All these incidents should be thoroughly investigated,” he said.