The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), J&K, Tuesday expressed deep grief and anguish over the killings of over 40 CRPF men in Pulwama attack.
In a statement here today, the Group said: “We express our condolences and sympathies with the families who have lost their kin and we hope that such incidents are not ever repeated.”
“The GCC,” it said, “feels that a mature response calls for a serious introspection on why an attack like Lethpora (Pulwama) took place. At the strategic level, there are serious questions of security lapses and intelligence failures that need to be addressed.”
The Group, which comprises of civil society members across communities and regions of Jammu and Kashmir, including jurists, former civil servants academicians, journalists, businessmen and social activists, said: “A crucial question, which stares us in the face is, why militancy is getting an upshot, instead of being brought under control, as against the claim made by the government and officials in the last few months that militancy has been wiped out,” it said.
The Group said, “A dispassionate assessment and introspection invokes the political component of the incident. The way forward does not lie in muscle flexing and harder military methods, which ultimately contribute to more violence and add to the strength of radical groups. Instead, there is need for a political outreach in the Valley and diplomatic engagement with Pakistan both on the issue of terrorism and finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir Issue.”
The statement added: “We also express grave concern at the attacks by hooligans and miscreants in Jammu and elsewhere on a particular community, particularly the Kashmiris. We appeal to the Government of India and the J&K Governor to ensure the security and safety of all citizens, particularly the members of a particular community and Kashmiris in Jammu, as well as act sternly against such elements that are vitiating peace.
“We appeal to the government to foil the designs of communal polarization, which the Pulwama attack was aimed to achieve.”