Punjab minister visits family of Rahul Bhat in Jammu, demands Rs 1 cr compensation for them

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab minister Harjot Singh Bains on Sunday visited the house of slain Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat here and offered his condolences to the bereaved family.

Bhat (35), who had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11, was shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists at his office in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir's Budgam district on May 12.

''I had come here to offer condolences to the family on behalf of my party and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,'' the minister told reporters after meeting Bhat's family at Ban Talab on the city outskirts of the city.

Bains, who is also the AAP's Jammu and Kashmir election incharge, said Bhat's family told him that he had repeatedly sought a transfer from the place of his posting.

The AAP leader demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for Bhat's family.

''The government needs to ensure the security and safety of Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley.

''The AAP government in Delhi is providing compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of those who lay down their lives in the service of the nation. In a recent Punjab cabinet meeting, we decided to implement the same and also provided Rs 1 crore to a driver who succumbed to COVID-19,'' he said.

Separately, hundreds of AAP activists took out a 'Tiranga rally' from Gangyal to Bathandi here against the drug menace and other social evils.

''We are taking a pledge to make J&K a drug-free society. We promise the youth adequate job opportunities, positive engagement in sports activities and better health, electricity and water services besides good roads,'' AAP leader Parvinder Singh Happy said.

Local AAP leader Raj Kumar Goyal said the BJP is only making ''false promises'' to the people and has failed to provide any relief to the public.

''The AAP is gaining ground with each passing day and we are going to sweep the next assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir,'' he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)