Condemn violence but do not politicise it: WB Governor

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said violence, irrespective of its place of occurence, should be condemned but not politicised.

When asked about the killing of five labourers from West Bengal in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Dhankhar said that violence, "anywhere, local or otherwise", is condemnable.

Dhankhar was speaking to reporters after placing a wreath at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of the 144th birth anniversary of the country's first home minister.

"Violence anywhere, local or otherwise, is to be condemned. If we believe in Sardar Patel, we should not be politicising violence," Dhankhar said without elaborating.

"While this is condemnable, my heart bleeds for every victim of violence," the governor said.

Dhankhar had on Wednesday termed the killings of the labourers from Murshidabad ditrict in Jammu and Kashmir as a "cowardly act" and sought help from the government for the bereaved families.

Dhankhar had on earlier occasions expressed shock over the triple murders at Jiaganj in Murshidabad district and political clashes in the state.

A Raj Bhavan statement issued later on Thursday quoted the governor as saying, "This is a historic occasion this year for the reason that the State of Jammu & Kashmir, from this day, would be Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh and Article 370 does not hold any water."

This is a befitting tribute to Sardar Patel, the unifier of the country on his birth anniversary, Dhankhar said.

The governor said, it was befitting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi started in 2014 'National Unity Day' on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.