New Delhi, Oct 7: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today condemned the killing of two civilians by terrorists in Srinagar and said, “It is our national duty to protect the minorities” in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Thursday, terrorists shot dead the Principal, Supinder Kaur, and a Kashmiri Pandit teacher Deepak Chand at a government school in the Eidgah area of Srinagar.

Both the deceased belonged to the minority communities.

Talking to reporters while participating in an outreach program in Budgam, the Minister said, “These terrorists are trying to hamper the development work in Jammu and Kashmir but they will not succeed in their sinister design,”

“It our national duty to protect the minority communities in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Naqvi has said, evil forces will not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs to hijack the atmosphere of peace and prosperity in Jammu-Kashmir through terrorism and violence.

“After the abolition of Article 370, rights of the people of Jammu-Kashmir and Leh-Kargil regarding trade, agriculture, employment, culture, land have been provided absolute Constitutional protection and safeguard,” he said.

Calling the incident “unfortunate” Naqvi said, “those who are indulging in such activities are the enemies of the development work carried out by the Modi government”.

“There was no development for the past 70 years but with the coming of the Modi government the region has seen development,” he added.

The Minister said that the Government has ended the caucus of corruption from the power corridors of Delhi and now the Government has made Jammu-Kashmir also free from the corruption of clan

“Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh has been moving forward on the path of inclusive development by demolishing the web of the dynasty,”

He said after several decades, the people of Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh have become an equal partner of the transparent democratic and development process.

As a part of the outreach program in Jammu and Kashmir, Union, Mukthar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated T20 Tourist Accommodation and parking area at Doodhpathri in Budgam.

He also laid the foundation stone of District Veterinary Hospital at Budgam and met with senior administration officials to review various development projects.

He also distributed sanction letters and cheques to beneficiaries of different welfare schemes.

During the program, the Minister also interacted with people’s representatives, delegations of prominent people from education, health, social and cultural fields at Tenger. (UNI)