Kashmir Bandh On Wednesday: Jammu Calls for Complete Shutdown Over Pahalgam Terror Attack
Pahalgam Terror Attack: Jammu witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday as multiple organisations protested the brutal killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack near Pahalgam. The bandh was called to express collective outrage and demand decisive action against the perpetrators.
Kashmir Bandh On April 23: Collective Protest in Jammu Over Slaying of Tourists Photo : PTI
Widespread anger and grief erupted across Jammu following the brutal terrorist attack in Baisaran, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. In response, several organisations including the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Transporters’ Association, Jammu Bar Association, and the Congress party have called for a complete shutdown in Jammu (Kashmir Bandh) on Wednesday to protest the killings.
JCCI President Arun Gupta, while announcing the bandh, said, “We have given a bandh call tomorrow as a mark of protest against the killing of tourists in Kashmir. We condemn it in the strongest terms. We urge Jammu people to join in, making this shutdown complete.” Gupta demanded strict action from authorities, urging the government to eliminate those responsible for the carnage.
“We stand with the families who lost their loved ones. We urge Home Minister Amit Shah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure that those involved, along with their overground supporters, are eliminated,” he added. Calling the shutdown a symbolic expression of collective outrage, Gupta further stated, “We want to send a clear message that such barbarism has no place in a civilised society. Targeting innocent tourists is not just an act of terror, it is an assault on humanity.”
VHP President Rajesh Gupta echoed similar sentiments, describing the killings as faith-based. “It is a massacre by terrorists based on faith. They identified people by religion and killed them. We will not tolerate it,” he said. Urging calm amid anger, he added, “We request the people of Jammu to maintain calm, even though there is deep anger over the killing of Hindus.”
All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Association Chairman Karan Wazir reiterated the unified stand of different groups, saying, “We, the Chamber of Commerce, Transporters and Bar Association, are united in our stand on the bandh tomorrow.” He said the shutdown is both a tribute to the victims and a message of unity.
Shops, businesses, and markets will remain closed in Jammu on Wednesday, and public transport is expected to stay off the roads.
Congress Joins Protest
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) also supported the bandh call. In a statement, JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma urged citizens to observe a complete and peaceful bandh: “The killing of innocents and the spread of terrorism on our soil is intolerable. To send a strong message and express solidarity with the victims and their families, a complete bandh should be observed.”
Outpouring of Political Condemnation
Political leaders across party lines condemned the bloodshed and called for immediate action against those responsible. Senior BJP leader Ravinder Raina said, “The enemies of Kashmir have once again bled the Valley by targeting innocent tourists in Pahalgam. Pakistani terrorists have committed a heinous crime and sin.” He further said, “They cannot face the brave soldiers of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and our paramilitary forces. These cowardly terrorists targeted unarmed, innocent tourists.”
Panun Kashmir: Attack a Continuation of Genocidal Violence
Panun Kashmir and its youth wing, Youth4Panun Kashmir, also issued a scathing statement condemning the killings. Dr Agnishakher, Convenor of Panun Kashmir, said, “This deliberate assault on unarmed tourists is a grim reminder of the persistent jihadist terrorism that continues to threaten the region. An ideology rooted in the same venom that drove the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s.”
He added, “The Pahalgam massacre is not an isolated act but a chilling continuation of the jihadist violence that orchestrated the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, forcing their exodus from their ancestral homeland.” Criticising successive governments, he said, “For decades, governments have refused to acknowledge this atrocity, ignoring our repeated alerts about the ideological forces fuelling such terror. The notion that tourism can resolve terrorism is a dangerous oversimplification that sidesteps the need for a robust confrontation with this ideology.”
