New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday expressed anguish over the loss of innocent lives in protests in Kashmir following the killing of most wanted Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani last week.
“It is a matter of great anguish that so many innocent lives have been lost these past days in parts of the Kashmir Valley,” Sonia Gandhi said.
“The political process has made many gains in J&K over the last two decades particularly and these must not get lost,” she added.
The Congress chief, however, stressed that “there can be no compromise on matters relating to national security”.
“Terrorism must be dealt with firmly and forcefully,” she stated, as per ANI news agency.
The Congress president's remarks came as the death toll in clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir rose to 23 on Monday, with over 250 people injured.
Normal life remains paralysed for the third day in the Valley due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike there.
Protests and violence have erupted in Kashmir in the wake of the killing of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander in an encounter on Friday.
Mobile services have been suspended in the four districts of south Kashmir since Friday evening.
Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either in custody or under house arrest.
