New Delhi, March 12 Political leaders from the Congress and Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday condemned the firing incident that took place at a function attended by Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, terming it "unfortunate" and "a serious security lapse", and calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Several leaders expressed concern over the breach in security and stressed the need for stronger protection for public representatives and citizens alike.
Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari expressed relief that Abdullah escaped unharmed while raising questions about the security arrangements.
"I am saddened, but I thank God that he survived. For 20 years, the person who had been plotting to kill him could not succeed, but when the state came under central administration as a Union Territory, they succeeded. His security, which was taken away, should be restored," he said.
Congress MP Tariq Anwar also condemned the attack and said it raised serious concerns about the law and order situation.
"It is very unfortunate that a nationalist leader like Farooq Abdullah, who has also served as a Cabinet Minister multiple times, was attacked. This in itself is a matter of serious concern. We need to examine the law and order situation—if such attacks can happen to leaders, then how will the common people be protected?" he said.
Congress MP Varun Chaudhary termed the incident a major lapse in security and called for strict preventive measures.
"This is a major security lapse. Thank God a rescue was carried out and no harm was done. However, to ensure that such an incident does not happen to anyone in the future, it must be thoroughly investigated and proper measures taken," he said.
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput also criticised the reduction in Abdullah’s security cover and demanded that it be enhanced.
"Farooq Abdullah is one of the most senior leaders of our country. He has been the target of a deadly attack. The central government had reduced his security a few days ago. His security should be increased," Rajput said.
Congress MP Rajeev Shukla described the incident as highly condemnable and tragic.
"The attack on Farooq Abdullah is extremely condemnable, very tragic, and completely wrong," Shukla said.
President of the Shiv Sena Dogra Front, Ashok Gupta, said such incidents should not occur in a democratic setup and demanded strict action against those responsible.
“In a democracy, the sound of bullets and guns has been put to an end by the Lieutenant Governor, and such an incident involving a former Chief Minister is extremely shameful. This kind of incident should never happen in a democratic system. Whoever is responsible for this act should face strict action,” Gupta said.
National Conference MLA and Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq also termed the incident deeply alarming and called for a comprehensive probe.
"What happened yesterday is very unfortunate. A very senior politician of this country, a former Union Minister, and multiple-time cabinet member, was under Z+ category protection. Despite this high-level security, a person managed to enter a wedding and attack at point-blank range. I believe this is extremely serious and a thorough investigation must be conducted," Sadiq said.
National Conference MLA Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana said the incident reflected a serious failure in security arrangements.
"This is a very condemnable incident. I am surprised that such a major security failure could occur, especially when big claims are being made in the name of law and order," he said.
Former Jammu minister Abdul Gani Malik also expressed shock over the incident and praised the quick response of security personnel.
"It is very unfortunate and shocking. A very serious incident took place last night. A person managed to reach very close with a weapon... Fortunately, the bodyguard acted swiftly and immediately took action, which saved the situation," Malik said.
NC MLA Ajaz Ahmed Jan also questioned how the assailant managed to breach security.
“How did that man even get there? Why weren’t proper security arrangements in place? It’s concerning,” he said.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor