Jammu, Dec 26: In the aftermath of the recent terror incident at Dera Ki Gali (DKG) area in Poonch district, Brigadier Anil Gupta, spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has appealed to opposition leaders to refrain from politicizing the incident and instead collaborate to restore peace in the region.
The terror attack in the Surankot tehsil claimed the lives of four soldiers from the 48 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and reportedly led to the deaths of three civilians in custody. Brigadier Gupta condemned custodial killings and called on leaders like the Muftis and Abdullahs to await the results of the inquiry, assuring full cooperation from Army authorities in conducting a fair investigation.
He stressed the importance of ending political opportunism and urged leaders not to ignite tensions but rather contribute to calming the situation. He acknowledged the role of some locals in supporting terrorists, emphasizing the need to address the issue collectively.
Brig Gupta pointed out that the current environment, created during the era of Article 370, has deep-rooted challenges, and the remnants of the ecosystem created by previous leaders continue to influence the region. He expressed concern that certain leaders use such incidents for political gains, questioning the government while avoiding condemnation of terrorism or its roots in Pakistan.
Despite the ongoing efforts to eliminate radicalization and terrorism, the BJP spokesperson acknowledged that these challenges are deeply entrenched and will take time to eradicate. He criticized the “Gupkar Gang” leaders for advocating talks with Pakistan, which he said was the source of religious terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir.
Brigadier Gupta lamented the opposition’s lack of cooperation with the government and security agencies in the investigation, accusing them of engaging in political opportunism and attempting to sow discord and disharmony.
