Amarnath Yatra symbol of 'Kashmiriyat', attack on it condemnable: Centre

The Centre on Tuesday dubbed the Amarnath Yatra as a symbol of 'Kashmiriyat', further stating that the cowardly act, in which a bus carrying pilgrims was attacked by terrorists, is condemnable.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said he now hopes that the ones speaking against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government will also condemn this attack.

"The country will not bend before the diabolical designs of these cowardly terrorists, who are being patronised from across the border. They have attacked the Kashmiriyat of India. What is the Kashmiriyat? Large number of Muslims, for the last years 100 years, facilitate the Amarnath Yatra. Innocent bhajan singing devotees were killed. The country needs to speak in one voice," Prasad told ANI.

On similar lines, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that India will not destabilised by such attacks.

"We condemn the attack on the Amarnath pilgrims. India will not be destabilised by such incidents. It is a cowardly act to kill innocents. The Indian Government will show terrorists their right place," he said.

Meanwhile, mortal remains of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims who lost their lives were brought to Surat, Gujarat.

Seven people lost their lives and 15 others were injured yesterday when a group of terrorists attacked a bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag.

The incident occurred at around 8.20 p.m. yesterday between Baltal and Mir Bazar. Reportedly, the bus was neither a part of a convoy nor registered with the shrine board.

The 90th and 40th battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed at the spot to prevent further untoward incidents.

People all across the country are condemning the incident, with some even staging protests against Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee have also strongly condemned the incident.