Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone has written an open letter to Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, raising sharp questions about what he called selective concern over pellet gun injuries — appreciating Gandhi's recent intervention to secure an FIR for a pellet-injured protester in Delhi, while challenging the absence of similar advocacy for thousands of Kashmiri victims over the past decade and a half.

The Appreciation and the Challenge

Lone opened his letter by acknowledging Gandhi's efforts in getting an FIR registered after a young demonstrator allegedly sustained pellet injuries during a protest in the national capital. 'Thankfully the injury inflicted in Delhi was minor,' Lone noted. He then drew a stark contrast with the scale of pellet-related harm in Jammu and Kashmir, where the toll has been far graver and largely unaddressed.

The Scale of Pellet Injuries in Kashmir

Lone cited figures reported by the then Jammu and Kashmir government, stating that between 2016 and 2017 alone, 6,221 people were injured by pellet firing, including 782 who suffered eye injuries. Hundreds lost their eyesight permanently, and thousands were left with lifelong disabilities. He further noted that pellets were first deployed during the 2010 unrest, 'resulting in dozens of blindings' and hundreds of severe injuries.

'My question is: Why was the same concern not shown for those Kashmiris who were blinded or grievously injured? Are Kashmiris less human than others in this country?' Lone wrote, urging Gandhi to visit Kashmir, speak publicly about the issue, and even attempt to register an FIR there to draw attention to the forgotten victims.

Political Accountability in Focus

Lone also trained his sights on regional parties, pointing out that the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — both of which were allied with national parties and controlled the Home Department during the 2010 and 2016 pellet incidents — have never issued an apology. Both parties are currently part of the INDIA bloc, of which Congress is a key constituent, adding a layer of political accountability to his challenge.

A Call for Equal Justice

Lone was careful to frame his letter without assigning political motive. 'Please do not attribute any motives. My hand on my heart, I really want you to do well,' he wrote, adding that the people of Kashmir deserve the same level of concern that was extended in Delhi. He concluded with a direct appeal: 'The Kashmiris are not lesser human beings. Let law be the same for all. Let there be no space for selective justice and let us not allow our own people to be tyrannised.'

The open letter, dated 23 August, is likely to intensify scrutiny of the INDIA bloc's record on civil liberties in Kashmir ahead of the next political cycle.