Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday condemned the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, calling terrorism a “global menace” and expressing solidarity with the victims. Speaking at the Inaugural Session of the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of State, Central and Private Universities of Tamil Nadu at Raj Bhavan, Dhankhar observed a two-minute silence in memory of the victims.
“I join the nation in expressing profound grief and outrage at the heinous attack in Pahalgam that claimed innocent lives. It is a reminder that terrorism is a global menace,” Dhankhar said. He added that India’s peace-loving nature, coupled with the strength of its leadership, will ensure the country continues to rise despite internal or external threats.
He was joined by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and several vice-chancellors in paying tribute to the victims of the April 22 attack, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali tourist.
The Vice President also urged the public to place national interest above political or personal agendas. “We must rise above all divides and stand united for the nation,” he said.
In response to the attack, the Indian government has taken a series of tough diplomatic and administrative actions against Pakistan. In a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 until Pakistan takes credible steps to stop cross-border terrorism. The integrated Attari Check Post has also been closed.
Additionally, visa services for Pakistani nationals have been suspended with immediate effect. Officials of the Pakistani High Commission have been declared persona non grata and have been asked to leave India within a week. The government has also cancelled visas granted under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), directing all Pakistani nationals currently in India to leave within 48 hours.
These sweeping measures underscore India’s firm response to terrorism and its commitment to safeguarding national security.