Bhatkal: Following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, widespread condemnation has been pouring in from across the country. Joining the nationwide outcry, two political parties — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) — organised a silent candle march in Bhatkal, a coastal town in Karnataka, to denounce the act of terrorism and pay tribute to the victims.
At around 7:30 PM, BJP members gathered at the Circuit House and proceeded silently towards Shamsuddin Circle, the heart of the town. Holding candles and a banner that read, “Heartfelt tributes to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack at Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir,” the participants walked in solemn silence.
Upon reaching the destination, BJP leaders placed floral tributes beneath photographs of the victims and observed a moment of silence in their memory.
Later that evening, around 8:30 PM, SDPI members assembled outside the historic Sultani Masjid, holding candles and carrying a banner that read, “Pahalgam attack, an onslaught on humanity.” They too marched silently to Shamsuddin Circle. Upon arrival, a brief gathering was held, during which SDPI’s Uttara Kannada district president, Taufiq Beary, addressed the participants.
“Jammu and Kashmir is the crown of India. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam was not against any one religion or community — it was an attack on humanity itself,” he said. “At such times, political parties must set aside their differences and unite in the fight against terrorism.”
Beary further emphasized that terrorism has no religion, urging people not to interpret such incidents through a Hindu-Muslim lens. “A terrorist is simply the enemy of humanity,” he stated. He also called on the government to form a high-level inquiry committee and ensure the perpetrators face the strictest possible punishment.