Advocate Appu Singh Slathia Strongly Condemns Pahalgam Massacre and Assault on Journalist Rakesh Sharma in Kathua; Urges Amit Shah to Ensure Stringent Action
||Black and White Digital News||
||April 23,2025 ||
Jammu : Advocate Appu Singh Slathia has issued a scathing condemnation of two deeply troubling incidents in Jammu and Kashmir — the brutal Pahalgam massacre and the reported assault on senior journalist Rakesh Sharma of Dainik Jagaran in Kathua — calling them direct assaults on the values of humanity and democracy.
Terming the Pahalgam massacre as “a savage and calculated act of terror,” Slathia expressed profound grief over the innocent lives lost and the continued atmosphere of fear in the region. While authorities have yet to release the full details of the attack, initial reports suggest that the assailants deliberately targeted civilians in an area already reeling from past violence. Slathia demanded a thorough, transparent investigation and called on the administration to bolster security infrastructure in vulnerable regions like Pahalgam.
Equally vociferous was her condemnation of the attack on senior journalist Rakesh Sharma, who was reportedly manhandled by BJP workers during a public gathering in Kathua. “This is an alarming reminder of how political intolerance is turning into violent suppression,” Slathia said. He emphasized that such assaults not only endanger the personal safety of journalists but also strike at the very core of democratic functioning by threatening the freedom of the press.
In a significant move, Advocate Slathia appealed directly to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to intervene and ensure that both incidents are met with stringent action. “The Union Home Ministry must take these incidents seriously and demonstrate that there is zero tolerance for terrorism and political hooliganism alike. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done,” Slathia said.
She further added that the Pahalgam massacre must not become another statistic in the long list of unresolved tragedies in the Valley. Likewise, the assault on Rakesh Sharma should not be brushed aside as a mere altercation — it must be treated as a criminal offense against a journalist performing his constitutional duty.
Advocate Slathia’s sharp and urgent tone reflects mounting public concern over both the security situation and the shrinking space for dissent and free expression. His appeal to Amit Shah underscores the need for immediate, decisive state intervention to restore public faith in justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
