The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a PIL that sought a judicial probe into the April 22 Pahalgam attack, saying such pleas would only “demoralise” the security forces at a time when the entire country was standing united.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, however, granted liberty to the petitioners to move the high court concerned over apprehensions of possible targeting of Kashmiri students in other states in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
The petitioners also wanted proper coordination between the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir administration, NIA, the CRPF and other security establishments to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. It also sought a directive to the Press Council of India to ensure that media houses report only factual accounts of the issue in view of the
sensitivity involved.
“Please don’t bring these issues into the public domain. This is not the time. This is the crucial hour when each citizen has joined hands to defend the country. Don’t make any prayer which can demoralise our security forces. This is not acceptable to us. Look at the sensitivity of the issue,” the bench told the petitioners.
One of the petitioners then pleaded that at least a directive be issued to ensure the protection of Kashmiri students outside the state who are facing apprehension of retaliatory attacks.
The bench declined to do so, saying the petitioners are free to approach the high court for necessary relief.
However, the bench posted for Friday another petition for quashing the order passed by the authorities to deport six alleged Pakistani nationals back to their country.