Sir — Stone-pelting in Jammu & Kashmir may have been a “symbol of resistance” for years, but now it’s proving more of an expression of abuse. The recent attack, where a school bus was attacked by stone-pelters has hurt the Kashmir’s cause. The violence is a reminder of the Rajput Karni Sena which had attacked a school bus in Gurugram while protesting against the release of Padmaavat. If only the stones could talk, those hurting innocent children would have been given a befitting reply.
Stone-pelters in Shopian are goons and deserve to be treated accordingly. Kashmir’s descent into violence and despair in the past few years has been a huge setback for the peace process. While perpetrators must be booked and punished, Kashmiris must also take the tough call and decide how soon they want to come out of this spiral of violence.