Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 12: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that the militants, who carried out dastardly attack on Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrims in Anantnag on Monday, had aim to trigger communal riots in the country but lauded the patience of the people all across the country, who foiled the mischievous designs.
“The attackers wanted to trigger communal riots in the entire country by carrying out attack on Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrims. They (the militants) wanted the people to fight with each other but I salute and congratulate the people, who maintained patience in such a difficult situation and didn’t allow designs of inimical forces to succeed,” Mehbooba said in an interview to a news agency.
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Saying that it (the militants targeting Amarnath Ji pilgrims) was “direct attack on brotherhood and communal harmony” of Kashmir for which the State is known for years together, the Chief Minister said for hundreds of years, thousands of pilgrims had been coming every year for annual pilgrimage and were being hosted by the people of Kashmir, many of who help the people in their smooth yatra.
Mehbooba said: “the people despite their different thinking and ideologies stood and united after the attacks and, in one language, condemned it and expressed their strong anger”. She declared that none can kill Kashmiriyat.
Asserting that no one wants violence and no one will tolerate innocent killings, the Chief Minister said the people had come to pray in the Kashmir valley and attack on them was not part of Kashmiriyat. The people from various sections of society in the Valley genuinely expressed their anger over the killings.
“Jammu and Kashmir is a piece of heaven. We should work unitedly and hope everyone will be one page-whether it’s the issue of talks, security or development,” she added.
Welcoming the statement of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Kashmiriyat in the aftermath of terror attack on pilgrims, Mehbooba also appreciated the patience shown by the families of those killed in the attack saying “we need to learn from them as to how they handled themselves and maintain calm in a very difficult situation”.
“Entire country including Gujarat, whose five yatris were killed in the terror attack, showed example of brotherhood at very tough circumstances, which need to be appreciated and celebrated,” the Chief Minister said.
She was all praise for the people of Anantnag especially the youth, who came forward to donate blood for the injured pilgrims and police and security personnel, who collectively provided all help to the pilgrims.
Mehbooba said the response and reaction shown by the people of the State to the killing of yatris two days ago showed that the people of the State have rejected such despotic acts despite themselves being victims of violence for decades.
She said the vehemence with which every section of society, irrespective of ideology, condemned the killings showed that the ethos for which the State is known is intact and vibrant.
“Efforts of local youth in donating blood to the injured yatris, help in rescue operations by local villagers or the dharna organized by members of civil society comprising students, traders, lawyers, activists, writers and others at Lal Chowk yesterday is an eye opener to those who are hell bent on dividing the people of the State on communal or regional lines,” she added.
She said the beauty of Kashmir’s tolerant character is that the holy cave of Amarnath Ji was discovered by a local Muslim and even today Kashmiri Muslims are seen helping and serving yatris all along the route.
Mehbooba said the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat echoed the sentiments of the yatris from their States and thanked people of Kashmir for sharing their pain and early rescue operations.
Mehbooba said what has come out of this tragic incident is that people of the State and rest of the country have started thinking in unison by rejecting such acts and categorization of the human tragedies.
The Chief Minister hoped that reality would dawn on every section of people about the futility of violence and acrimony to resolve the outstanding political issues.
“Tragedies have taught lessons to humanity and here also it is satisfying to note that people have united against the cult of violence of any sort which provides a silver lining of peaceful resolution of issues and differences,” she added.
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