S Ahmad
Srinagar, August 5: Save Youth Save Future (SYSF) founder Wajahat Farooq Bhat Tuesday made an emotional pitch for the construction of a memorial to honour the thousands of innocent people killed by terrorists over the last three decades in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at an event where 158 Next of Kin (NoKs) of terror victims were handed government appointment letters by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Bhat said it was time the nation formally recognized and remembered the civilians who died not in battle, but as victims of senseless violence.
Calling the slain civilians the “real Mujahids of Kashmir, Bhat pointed towards audience and told LG Sinha the people sitting before him are the real “Shuhada Kei Waaris” (Successors of Martyrs).
“These people died for no fault of theirs. They were killed while fighting terrorists and got killed in the name of so called azadi. Yet their sacrifices have been buried in silence,” said Bhat. “Their families are the true ‘Shuhada Ke Waaris’, and their loved ones—the real Mujahids of Kashmir. It’s time we build a memorial like Balidan Stambh to honour them.”
Bhat urged the administration to construct a memorial on the lines of the war memorial constructed by him at Pratap Park in Lal Chowk to ensure the sacrifices of these civilians are remembered and passed on to future generations.
He also called for a comprehensive policy to support those left injured or handicapped due to terrorist violence.
Wajahat praised LG Sinha’s outreach, saying the administration’s recent efforts had brought long-neglected families into the light. “When these families were finally heard, they felt a sense of belonging. Now the tables have turned- fear has changed sides. Those who committed terror now live in fear, not the victims.”
In his address, LG Manoj Sinha acknowledged Bhat’s role in highlighting the plight of these families. “When Wajahat once asked me to meet some of the families of terror victims, I was shocked to know their pain and neglect. Since then, our administration has worked with sincerity to bring them justice and support.”
Earlier 158 NoKs of terror victims receive appointment letters under the government’s compassionate employment scheme, a major step in addressing long-pending cases.
More such appointments will be made at district headquarters in the coming days, LG Sinha told people.
This event follows similar outreach programmes held in Baramulla on July 13 and Jammu on July 28, forming part of a broader initiative to provide structured relief to victims of terrorism.
The administration has also launched a dedicated web portal and helplines at district and divisional levels to streamline support services for families affected by terrorism. Officials assured that every genuine case would be addressed in a time-bound and transparent manner.
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