Jammu, Jun 11 (PTI) Jammu-based All Parties United Morcha (APUM) on Saturday appealed to the people to maintain religious harmony and asked the government to deal sternly with the enemies of peace.

The APUM includes the Congress, National Conference and several other non-BJP opposition parties.

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"We strongly urge the BJP government at the Centre and J&K administration to take stern action against communal and divisive forces creating hatred in the society and appeal to the people to see through the designs of such forces and maintain religious harmony and peace at all costs,” APUM said in a statement after a meeting here.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Congress, NC, PDP and CPI(M) among others.

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The participants expressed serious concerns over the prevailing atmosphere of religious tension, caused due to the “provocative statements and actions of few individuals”.

“The BJP government at the Center allows such forces and individuals to vitiate the atmosphere in the country for political dividends but the entire nation and society as a whole is at great loss," the statement said.

"The pluralistic country like ours, which is multi religious, multi faiths, and having vast diversities cannot allow such elements and forces to operate in any manner to further their agenda of hatred and division,” it said.

According to the APUM, such communal and divisive forces need to be nipped in the bud by a responsible government and administration but under the present regime such forces are not only out to "destroy our social and secular fabric but create large-scale wedge in the society and cause communal riots".

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)