BJP national vice president Avinash Rai Khanna Saturday termed the killing of a senior Jammu and Kashmir party leader and his brother in Kishtwar district a "cowardly act".
He asked the state administration to view the incident seriously as it might be an attempt to revive militancy in the Jammu region.
BJP state secretary Anil Parihar(52) and his brother, Ajeet Parihar(55) were killed while they were walking towards their home in Parihar mohalla through a dark lane in Tapal Mohalla.
They were fired upon from a close range by suspected militants around 8.40 pm on Thursday.
"The Governor administration should take these killings as a serious development in Kishtwar as the militancy related acts were brought to almost zero in Jammu province in last few years and this may be an attempt towards revival of the militancy, which needs to be curbed at the very onset," Khanna said in a statement here.
The Jammu and Kashmir in-charge of the BJP demanded adequate compensation for the bereaved family besides employment to the next of kin the deceased persons.
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"The killing of the Parihar brothers by unknown gunmen in Kishtwar town is a cowardly act and cannot silent the voice of nationalist forces in the erstwhile Doda district and other parts of Jammu province,"Khanna said.
Doda district was bifurcated into Doda and Kishtwar districts in 2007.
The BJP leader said Anil was one of the senior leaders of the BJP in Kishtwar, who always remained in the forefront in the fight against anti-India forces, elements who posed a threat to the unity and integrity of the country.
"The cold blooded murder of the two brothers is a sign of frustration and also an attempt to demonstrate that anyone who stands to strengthen social fabric, promote brotherhood and cannot be tolerated and that such person be eliminated,Khanna said.
He said right from the days of outbreak of militancy in the Kashmir valley, which spread its tentacles in erstwhile Doda district, prominent Hindu leaders associated with the BJP and other social organizations were targeted and killed.
Properties were also damaged in the erstwhile district to spread terror to force migration like the exodus that happened in Kashmir, but, during these years such attempts were defeated by great nationalists like Parihar, who laid down their lives for the cause of the nation, he said.