SRINAGAR: The required war on terrorism should not make innocent Kashmiris collateral damage, Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah , PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti , and People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone have warned amid a massive crackdown on terrorists, including demolition of their family homes, in the Pahalgam attack aftermath.
“Punish the guilty, show them no mercy, but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage… There must be a decisive fight against terrorism and its origins. The people of Kashmir have come out openly against terrorism. It’s time to build on this support and avoid any misplaced action that alienates people,” Omar said.
Earlier, National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi alleged on X, “Kashmir and Kashmiris are being given collective punishment.”
Mehbooba said the Union govt should tread carefully and avoid alienating innocent people while acting against terrorists. “There are reports of thousands being arrested and scores of houses of common Kashmiris being demolished along with those of militants.”
She urged the Centre to direct the authorities to ensure that innocent people are not made to bear the brunt, as alienation aids terrorists' goals of division and fear.
Lone said that using “collectiveness to define criminality or terrorism is a curse and will never allow reconciliation and social introspection.”
“The mass protests against the Pahalgam killings were a rare occurrence, a first of its kind in the last 78 years. It showed a shift in mindset — from a society in which some significant sections may have accorded social sanctity to the concept of violence, to a society which marched in thousands across villages and towns condemning violence, thereby signifying the social stigmatisation of violence,” he said.
“This is a monumental shift, a milestone. But at the same time, a fragile shift. I hope those in charge of law and order do understand the significance of the shift and don’t do anything erroneously that impedes the shift or facilitates a return to the earlier mindset.”
He said there is a general feeling across the Valley that entire families are being punished for the actions of one person.
“Punish the guilty, show them no mercy, but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage… There must be a decisive fight against terrorism and its origins. The people of Kashmir have come out openly against terrorism. It’s time to build on this support and avoid any misplaced action that alienates people,” Omar said.
Earlier, National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi alleged on X, “Kashmir and Kashmiris are being given collective punishment.”
Mehbooba said the Union govt should tread carefully and avoid alienating innocent people while acting against terrorists. “There are reports of thousands being arrested and scores of houses of common Kashmiris being demolished along with those of militants.”
She urged the Centre to direct the authorities to ensure that innocent people are not made to bear the brunt, as alienation aids terrorists' goals of division and fear.
Lone said that using “collectiveness to define criminality or terrorism is a curse and will never allow reconciliation and social introspection.”
“The mass protests against the Pahalgam killings were a rare occurrence, a first of its kind in the last 78 years. It showed a shift in mindset — from a society in which some significant sections may have accorded social sanctity to the concept of violence, to a society which marched in thousands across villages and towns condemning violence, thereby signifying the social stigmatisation of violence,” he said.
“This is a monumental shift, a milestone. But at the same time, a fragile shift. I hope those in charge of law and order do understand the significance of the shift and don’t do anything erroneously that impedes the shift or facilitates a return to the earlier mindset.”
He said there is a general feeling across the Valley that entire families are being punished for the actions of one person.
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