People must stay united as Pahalgam terrorists wanted to cause communal riots Bhujbal

Mumbai, Apr 27 (PTI) NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday said people must stay united and not fall into the trap of the terrorists who carried out the horrific Pahalgam attack as their aim was to orchestrate communal riots.
Twenty-six persons, including six from Maharashtra, were gunned down by terrorists in Pahalgam in Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22, the act drawing condemnation from across the world and triggering outrage nationwide.
"The campaign of Hindu versus Muslim must stop. If we have to fight the terrorists then we must be united. Muslims all over the country, including Kashmir, have condemned the killing and taken out protest marches. A Muslim also fell to terrorists' bullets in Pahalgam," Bhujbal said.
"The objective of the killing was to create communal discord and fan riots. People should not fall into the trap of the terrorists," he asserted.
His comments come in the backdrop of Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane's statement that Hindus must ask the religion of shopkeepers before making purchases.
Incidentally, eyewitnesses to the Pahalgam attack have said the terrorists singled out Hindus by asking those present at the picturesque meadows to recite the 'kalma', the Islamic declaration of faith.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)