Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 24 : Actor Gajraj Rao has condemned the horrific terrorist attack on tourists that took place in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which has left the nation in shock.
While speaking to ANI, Rao expressed his deep concern over the attack and urged the people of India not to let such acts disrupt the progress and peace in the region.
"This is a very painful incident. We must ask ourselves - who benefits from such attacks?" he said.
"...Tourists had started returning to Srinagar and Pahalgam. The lives of local traders and shikara owners were getting back on track," he added.
"When people meet, misunderstandings go away. This exchange was increasing and growing well. But maybe some people, on both sides of the border, did not like this increasing dialogue," Rao remarked.
He urged the public to ensure that such forces do not stop the growing communication and peace. "I request the common people to ensure that the growing communication and peace are not stopped by such forces," he said.
Rao further shared that he is certain he will visit Kashmir again once the situation returns to normal.
"When I get a break from work in the coming months and when things are stable, I will definitely plan a trip to Kashmir. Because Kashmir is ours, the people of Kashmir are ours, the shikaras are ours, the chinar trees are ours. Kashmiriyat is ours. We should never forget this," he added.
The attack that took place on Tuesday, April 22, was one of the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The attack was one of the biggest terror attacks in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
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