Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday appealed for peace and brotherhood in Jammu and Kashmir, urging people to express their grief over recent developments in West Asia peacefully and responsibly.
Speaking to reporters after interacting with religious leaders and members of civil society in Srinagar, the Chief Minister said a joint appeal had been issued calling on people across the union Territory to maintain calm.
“We should maintain peace and brotherhood. We should express our grief and sadness, but not our anger. Whatever we have to express — our condolences, our feelings — we must express them peacefully,” he said.
Abdullah said people could convey their emotions in mosques, shrines and imambaras, but stressed that such expressions should remain peaceful. “That is the appeal that has gone out from all of us, and we hope it resonates with all our people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
The meeting was convened in the light of recent developments in West Asia. Participants expressed concern over the situation and conveyed their condolences over the loss of lives in Iran. A ‘Fatiha’ was offered for Khamenei and all those who died in the recent attacks in Iran.
CM Abdullah said that concerns over recent detentions and the filing of FIRs dominated discussions during his meeting with religious leaders and members of civil society in Srinagar.
The participants raised the issue of detainees and the FIRs registered over the past few days, urging the government to adopt a “soft approach.” They also emphasised that people should be allowed to express their grief and condolences in a peaceful manner.
“The main issues discussed were the FIRs, the detainees, and ensuring that condolence gatherings remain peaceful,” the Chief Minister said.
When asked about a specific FIR registered against his sitting Member of Parliament Ruhullah Mehdi and others, Omar declined to comment on individual cases.
“I will not talk about individual FIRs here. We have discussed the FIRs collectively in this meeting and will take the matter forward,” he said.
Responding to questions about ongoing restrictions, including the closure of schools till March 7, the Chief Minister said the curbs would be eased gradually as the situation improves.
“As the situation improves, we will reduce the restrictions. For now, we are trying to ensure that there is no innocent blood spilling anywhere and no injuries due to law and order disturbances,” he said.
The Chief Minister also expressed the hope that conditions would normalise soon and thanked civil society members for their cooperation in maintaining peace. Since Sunday, Kashmir has been witnessing widespread protests against the killing of Khamenei in US-Israel attacks.
On Sunday, thousands gathered at Lal Chowk to protest the killing. The protests remained peaceful that day. The J&K government later imposed strict restrictions in several parts to thwart further demonstrations.
However, despite the restrictions, protests were reported from some areas over the past two days, leaving several people, including security personnel, injured.
