The Supreme Court has asked states to take all steps to protect Kashmiris.
The Concerned Citizens Group (CCG), led by former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, issued a statement on Saturday, urging the government to ensure that no innocent Kashmiris are targeted in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.
"At a time when the nation is passing through trying circumstances, we appeal that the government must not take any steps which detract from the constitutional framework of the country or the universally accepted principles of rule of law. It is imperative that no innocent Kashmiri, within J&K (Jammu and Kashmir) or in the rest of India, is made to feel insecure or unsafe. In this context recent pronouncements of the Hon'ble Supreme Court have brought much solace," it said in a statement.
"We recognize that terrorism is a grave threat to the nation, especially terrorism emanating from Pakistan and deserves to be condemned in the strongest terms. Terrorism is a grave issue and has to be dealt with unitedly by the nation's leadership cutting across political lines. The current situation must, therefore, be dealt with in a non-partisan manner. Any attempt to leverage the developments in J&K for electoral purposes is fraught with danger and should be avoided at all costs," the group added.
Since the suicide bomb attack in Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed the lives of over 40 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force last Thursday, there have been reports of attacks and social boycotts of Kashmiris across India. The Supreme Court on Friday asked 10 states to take "prompt action" to stop these incidents.
Though the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, the suicide bomber was a man who lived just 10 km from the spot.
Speaking out for the first time since violence broke out over a week ago in many parts of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned against the targeting of Kashmiris. "Our fight is for Kashmir, not against Kashmiris... Kashmiris have suffered the most due to terrorism, and the rest of the country must stand in their support," he said at a rally in Rajasthan's Tonk.