Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday discussed the Pahalgam terror attack and related developments with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their first interaction after the April 22 massacre that left 26 people dead.
The meeting in New Delhi came against the backdrop of a rare unanimous condemnation of the attack by pro-India politicians and separatists in the Valley.
Sources said Omar, who has no say in the law-and-order situation in Jammu and Kashmir, apprised Modi of the outrage expressed by members of the Kashmiri civil society and tourism and trade players over the attack and the need to build on the momentum.
The two also discussed the need for reviving tourism, which is seen as a bridge between Kashmir and the rest of the country.
A National Conference leader said Omar reaffirmed his commitment to support any initiative by the Centre to deliver justice to the Pahalgam victims.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly had recently hosted a special session where all parties passed a unanimous resolution condemning the carnage and pledging support to all central initiatives.
Major political parties, including the NC and PDP, have changed their stance on initiating talks with Pakistan, saying justice for victims was the need of the hour.
A spate of anti-Kashmiri developments following the attack has sparked anger across the Valley. Hundreds of people were arrested, and the homes of militants were demolished. There are also allegations of two extra-judicial killings.
Kashmiris are also incensed by the reporting of Delhi-based channels projecting them as villains. There have been reports of assaults on many Kashmiris across the country in the aftermath of the terror attack.
Omar had last met Modi in October and presented to him a draft of a cabinet resolution seeking the restoration of statehood.
Omar recently said he would not use the Pahalgam massacre to demand the restoration of statehood, which had earned him praise from the Right-wing ecosystem.
Kashmiri politicians on Saturday continued their “nationalist” rhetoric, with Omar’s father Farooq Abdullah reiterating that Kashmir was part of India and would remain so.
Speaking to reporters in Pahalgam, where he had gone to meet the family of a local victim of the attack, Farooq said the strongest message to come out of the incident was that the people were not afraid.
“They came to the place and tried to create fear and they have lost,” Farooq said, alleging the attackers’ aim was to stoke communal divisions.
“They thought they could separate Hindus and Muslims. They lost. They thought they could get Kashmir. They lost,” he said.
“It has been established today that this (Kashmir) is, was and will always be a part of India,” he added.