Only days after a ghastly terrorist attack shook the quaint town of Pahalgam, veteran actor Atul Kulkarni paid a personal visit to the place. Famous for his socially active voice, Kulkarni decided to be physically present in Kashmir at a time when the region had been overcome by fear and insecurity.
Speaking exclusively to BBC News Hindi during his journey to Pahalgam, the actor highlighted the deeper implications of the attack and emphasized the importance of reclaiming normalcy. “Kashmir humara hai (Kashmir is ours),” he declared and said, “With the attack, terrorists gave a message asking people not to visit Kashmir. He added that all Indians will definitely visit.”
A Plea To Support Kashmir And Its People
Kulkarni also expressed concern about the short-term effect the attack had on tourism which reported a steep decline in bookings even after its peak season. Kulkarni said, “I read that 90% of the bookings here had been cancelled, even though it’s peak season. We need to support Kashmiriyat and the Kashmiri people.” The actor then urged other citizens not to cancel their booked trips and rather assist the area in its recovery by showing up, calm tourists by requesting to not cancel any trips to Kashmir.
The Pahalgam Terror Attack
The Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 individuals, predominantly tourists, security forces in Kashmir have ramped up anti-terror operations across the region. The coordinated efforts, which have entered their third consecutive day, aim to dismantle terrorist networks and apprehend those who support such activities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Thursday that his government will track down every terrorist operative and their conspiring sources to ensure punishment. He declared that India would continue their pursuit as far as Earth’s edges. The law enforcement agencies have established identification of three terrorist suspects.
