Srinagar, Dec. 26 -- Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday expressed concern over the reports of assault on a Kashmiri trader in Uttarakhand, and urged the state administration to take legal action against the perpetrators.

Lok Sabha MP from National Conference (NC), Ruhullah Mehdi, said coercing any citizen to prove patriotism through compelled speech violates constitutional freedoms.

"Reports from Uttarakhand indicating that a Kashmiri trader was assaulted for refusing to chant a slogan on religious grounds are deeply troubling.

"Coercing any citizen to prove patriotism through compelled speech violates constitutional freedoms and human dignity," Mehdi said in a post on X.

The alleged incident came to light after a purp...