Threats to Kashmiris

IT is a cruel double whammy for Kashmiris in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Those residing in the Valley are fearing losses due to a potential decline in the tourist footfall, while students and traders based in states across the country are being subjected to harassment and intimidation. Prominent J&K leaders such as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone have expressed concern over the safety of Kashmiris. The onus is on the Central and state governments to crack down on divisive elements that are using the massacre as a pretext to vilify and hound Kashmiris.

Representatives of political parties, trade bodies and socio-religious organisations based in Kashmir, along with ordinary residents, have been unequivocal in their condemnation of the killings. They have sent out a clear message — “Not in our name” — telling the entire nation that they have no sympathy for terrorists who are disgracing Kashmir as well as Islam with their crimes against humanity. As tempers are running high nationwide, it is critical for political and religious leaders to provide a calming influence rather than adding fuel to the fire.

Rabble-rousers are conveniently ignoring the fact that it was a Kashmiri ponywala, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, who sacrificed his life while trying to save tourists from gun-toting terrorists. The braveheart was shot dead when he was trying to snatch a weapon from an assailant. His selfless courage and heroism need to be widely acknowledged and extolled in order to dispel misconceptions about Kashmiris. Blaming them for the cowardly terror attack reeks of a communal agenda that can tear our secular fabric to shreds. Remembering the carnage of 1984 and 2002, when innocent members of minority communities were targeted in Delhi and Gujarat, respectively, should serve to ensure that saner voices are not drowned out by the incessant din this time.

Editorials