Representatives of nearly 50 civil society organisations in Maharashtra, grouped as the ‘Constitution-loving Citizens of India’, on Saturday (May 17, 2025) sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking necessary action on the Pahalgam terror attack, while maintaining peace.
“The united stance of all citizens, organisations, and parties in Jammu and Kashmir against terrorism proves that the nation stands for non-violence and peace, not hatred or violence,” the memorandum, endorsed by several activists, including Medha Patkar and Anand Patwardhan, said.
While unequivocally condemning the terror attack, the group also questioned the manner in which the government had responded, and sought action. The group’s representatives demanded a special parliamentary session to discuss ways to combat terrorism and create effective defence strategies, along with a special judicial committee to enquire into the violence at Pahalgam.
“As a democratic nation, our defence strategies must rise above partisan politics and prioritize national unity. While all-party dialogues were held, your [the PM’s] absence left these efforts incomplete. A special parliamentary session should be convened to address this gap.… a high-level judicial inquiry into the Pahalgam massacre is essential, and the perpetrators must be punished. We condemn post-incident violence against specific communities and demand action against culprits. Hate-mongering via media/social media, which fuels distrust and communalism, must be curbed immediately,” the statement read.
A report on Pahalgam and its safety will be published later in the month, and activists discussed their plans to call for a nationwide movement in support of peace between India and Pakistan.
“On 22nd May, it will be one month since the killing of 27 tourists in Pahalgam. On that day, we will also release the first report of the team we have formed to investigate various aspects related to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.,” the statement read.
Published – May 18, 2025 12:51 am IST
