New Delhi, Feb 21 (IT): Omar Abdullah appealed for better central leadership on Thursday as he decried the targeting of Kashmiris across India in the wake of last week's terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

A former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said it appeared that those targeting Kashmiris had the blessings of the establishment, pointing out that one state governor had called for a boycott of the community.

Neither the prime minister nor the minister for home affairs spoke of tough action against the perpetrators, Abdullah said.

There was a need, the National Conference leader said, for a statesman and not a politician.

Omar Abdullah said there is a motivated campaign to spread the message that Kashmiri's couldn not be trusted, and said the future of many Kashmiri students was at risk. He said an entire community could not be sacrificed for an election, and that he was concerned by the way it was demonised.

He also pointed out the contrast between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's outreach to mend ties and incidents like the terrorist attack in Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred.

Omar Abdullah said such incidents needed to stop for peace talks to take place.