In a rare joint appeal, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday expressed dismay over attacks on Kashmiris across the country and “urged the Government of India to ensure safety and security.”

“Intimidating Kashmiris is aimed at creating a wedge between different communities in India. We should not allow the terror to divide us. By using such incidents to divide us, we fall into the trap of those behind the attack on CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) soldiers; we are wittingly or unwittingly playing to the tunes of our enemies,” said Ms. Mufti and Mr. Abdullah in the statement.

The two former chief ministers underscored the need to maintain communal harmony across the country.

They said Kashmiri Muslims or the Muslims of Jammu did not attack the CRPF jawans but terrorists did. “This violence is a convenient tool by some to shift the blame. Let us unite against terror, let’s not allow terror to divide us,” they said.

They appealed to the GOI to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiris. “It doesn’t augur well for a democratic country like India to hound its own people in its response to the heinous attack on our forces. Hounding innocent Kashmiris will indisputably disenchant them; the humiliation, suspicion, isolation will push innocent Kashmiris to the wall," they warned.

The leaders also expressed concern over reports of violence and arson in Jammu.

Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed in parts of Jammu city on Monday for the first time in three days.