On 22nd April, Islamic terrorists brutally killed 28 people, mostly Hindus, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The terrorists singled out Hindus from among the tourists and shot them dead. As soon as reports of the attack reached the public, a wave of anger swept across the nation. The attack happened days before the scheduled release of the film Abir Gulaal, in which Pakistani actor Fawad Khan plays the lead role opposite Vaani Kapoor. Netizens are now demanding a ban on the film and urging everyone to boycott it.
The film, which is scheduled for release on 9th May, is a romantic comedy directed by Aarti S Bagdi. However, in the wake of the Pahalgam massacre, netizens are voicing outrage at the decision to cast a Pakistani artist in an Indian production. Notably, Pakistani artists have not been allowed to perform in India or be part of any production for a long time. Especially after several terrorist attacks, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack, the Uri terror attack, and several others, sentiment against Pakistani artists has grown stronger.
In 2016, when the Uri terror attack occurred, Fawad appeared in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, triggering widespread criticism. At that time, the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association even passed a resolution announcing an informal ban on Pakistani artists in the Indian film industry. The restriction was lifted in 2022, and soon actors like Fawad began getting roles in Indian films. The Pahalgam incident, however, has reopened old but unhealed wounds, rekindling the demand for a complete cultural boycott.
X user 0_1608 wrote, “After this attack on our Indian Brothers & Sisters every Pakistani Actors & Artist should be banned. We all strongly condemn this cowardly act.”
X user Bulla Tweets wrote, “This Movie should not get a single audience in theaters!! Bycott such actors. Their greed for work and money has always shamed us as nation. They stand with anything but nation in the name of Art!”
This Movie should not get a single audience in theaters!! Bycott such actors. Their greed for work and money has always shamed us as nation. They stand with anything but nation in the name of Art!
Another user Anand wrote, “Govt must BAN ‘Abir Gulal’ release NOW! Gutterwood’s Paki artist pandering is a disgrace. They mock our sacrifices and must face consequences. Actors working with Pakis? BOYCOTT them hard!”
Govt must BAN 'Abir Gulal' release NOW! Gutterwood's Paki artist pandering is a disgrace. They mock our sacrifices and must face consequences. Actors working with Pakis? BOYCOTT them hard! https://t.co/Rur5JAUIVg
X user Avi Nash wrote, “Still in favor of Pakistani actors in Indian cinema? Are we still going to allow movies like Abir Gulaal to be made in India with Pakistani actors?”
Still in favor of Pakistani actors in Indian cinema? Are we still going to allow movies like Abir Gulaal to be made in India with Pakistani actors? #PahalgamTerrorAttack#Kashmir#Pahalgam
Ongoing debate over Vaani Kapoor’s support and casting choices
Vaani Kapoor, who is the lead in the film Abir Gulaal opposite Fawad Khan, has found herself at the centre of the controversy. She has reportedly been vocal in social media debates surrounding Pakistani actors working in the Indian film industry. In fact, hours before news of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam spread like wildfire, Vaani had posted a Live Video with Fawad on Instagram, leading to severe backlash from users in the comments.
Source: Instagram
MNS warns cinema owners against screening
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), known for its hard stance on cross-border cultural ties, has reiterated its opposition to the film’s release in the state. The party has warned cinema hall owners that Abir Gulaal will not be allowed to screen in Maharashtra. The Raj Thackeray-led political outfit has long maintained that Pakistani artists should not be permitted to work in India, especially given the ongoing threat of state-sponsored terrorism from across the border.
The demand to ban Pakistani artists will grow stronger
The nation is still reeling from the horrors of the Pahalgam terror attack. Interestingly, Vaani and Fawad, who were active on social media promoting the film, have gone silent since the attack. The timing of Abir Gulaal’s release has definitely struck a raw nerve. As of now, the film’s release remains scheduled, but the storm surrounding it does not seem likely to calm down anytime soon, which may lead to an actual ban or at least a delay in the release. The concerned stakeholders who have allowed Pakistani actors to work in the Indian film industry need to rethink their decision.
Every time an Islamic terrorist attack takes place in the country, the terror apologist machinery gets activated with their ready-made, done-to-death narrative about how these attacks have nothing to do with religion. From the Kashmiri Pandits’ exodus to the ghastly terrorist attack on Hindu tourists in Pahalgam yesterday (22nd April), the narrative is affixed to every terrorist attack that has ever taken place in Jammu and Kashmir or any other part of the country.
They use the same old whitewashing tactics of trying to evoke sympathy for terrorists and justify terrorist attacks by presenting stories about their poverty-stricken backgrounds. They use selected instances of local Muslims condemning the terrorist attacks or taking out candle marches to show Bhaichara (fraternity) to peddle their terror apologist narrative.
From the 90s till 2025, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a series of communally motivated terrorist attacks targeting the Hindus. Even a fleeting glance at the history of such terror incidents is enough for the uninitiated to know that such attacks have everything to do with religion. Here is a list of terrorist attacks that lay bare the terror apologist narrative-
1993 Kishtwar terrorist attack
On August 14, 1993, three terrorists carrying AK-47s hijacked a bus carrying Hindu passengers in the Sarthal areas of Kishtwar district in J&K. The terrorists forced the women and children to get off the bus and took all the male passengers hostage. They took the male passengers to a different location and segregated them into two groups before opening fire at them at point-blank range. All of the male passengers died. This cold-blooded murder of Hindus by terrorists marked the beginning of the spread of terrorism in the Jammu region and triggered the migration of Hindus out of the region.
1998 Wandhama massacre
On January 25, 1998, 23 Kashmiri Pandits out of a family of 24 were brutally murdered by terrorists in Wandhama town of the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmiri Pandits killed in the terrorist attack were reportedly the ones who decided to stay back after the majority of Hindus migrated. According to locals who reached the spot after hearing gunshots, 23 Kashiri Pandits were lying in a pool of blood, and a temple was set ablaze. One of the members of the family somehow managed to escape the massacre.
The survivor later said that the terrorists entered the family’s house dressed like Indian Army soldiers carrying AK-47s. They talked to the family members and gathered them in a place and shot them.
1998 Prankote and Daikote massacre of Hindus
The 1998 Wandhama massacre was followed by another horrifying terrorist attack on Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir. On the night of April 17, 1998, 29 Hindus, including 13 women and children, were brutally slaughtered and beheaded by Islamic terrorists in Prankote and Dakikote villages in Udhampur district (now in Reasi district). The Hindu villages lay on the route usually taken by Pakistani terrorists to infiltrate. A survivor reportedly said that the terrorists forced the Hindus to convert to Islam and consume beef. When the Hindus refused, the terrorists killed them. The terrorists set the houses of the slain Hindus on fire after killing them. One woman reportedly managed to escape from her house but later succumbed to burn injuries, and her body was found in a gorge.
The information about the massacre of Hindus reached the authorities after 10 hours. The security forces arrived at the scene the next day. And, it took around 48 hours after the incident for the J&K police to reach there. A police official reportedly said that the scene “resembled a ghost area, with beheaded bodies lying scattered”. Following the horrid massacre, the Hindu families living in the villages migrated en masse.
2000 Chittisinghpura massacre of Sikhs
On March 20, 2000, around 15-20 Islamic terrorists disguised as military soldiers brutally killed 36 Sikh men in the Sikh-dominated Chittisinghpora village in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The incident happened hours before the visit of the then-US President Bill Clinton to India. After entering the village, the terrorists split into two groups. They barged into the two Gurudwaras – the Shaukeen Mohalla Gurudwara and the Singh Sabha Sumandri Hall Gurdwara, located 150 metres apart. They rounded up all the Sikh men in the Gurudwaras and started firing at them indiscriminately. A survivor named Nanak Singh said that terrorists masquerading as Army men lined up the Sikh men on the pretext of asking them about a group of terrorists that, they claimed, were going to enter the village. The government claimed that the targeted killing was carried out by Islamic militant groups Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Terrorist attacks on Amarnath Yatra
In a blood-chilling terrorist attack on the Hindu pilgrims during the Amarnath Yatra, around 89 people (media reports claimed 105) were killed in five separate coordinated attacks on 1st and 2nd August, 2000 in Anantnag and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir. On August 2, 2000, 32 Hindu pilgrims and 7 security officers were killed by Islamic terrorists in a two-hour-long shootout at Nunwan base camp in Anantnag district. The Hindu pilgrims were on their way to the Amarnath Cave Shrine. Around 27 migrant labourers were killed by terrorists in Mirbazar-Qazigund and Sandoo-Acchabal in Anantnag district. Terrorists also killed about 11 unarmed civilians in a village in the Doda district. The terrorist attack was carried out by Hizbul Mujahideen.
The Amarnath Yatra was again attacked by terrorists in July 2001, who infiltrated the security cordon at Sheshnag Lake and fired grenades at the Hindu pilgrims and exploded two IEDs. The attack left 8 Hindu pilgrims and 2 security personnel dead, amongst others.
Subsequently, another terrorist attack happened on the Amarnath Yatra on August 6, 2002. The terrorists belonging to al-Mansuriyan, a front group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, brutally killed 9 Hindu pilgrims at the Nunwan base camp.
This was followed by another terrorist attack on the Amarnath Yatra on July 10, 2017, a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims en route to the Amarnath Cave Shrine. 8 Hindu pilgrims were killed in the attack, while 19 were injured.
2003 Nandimarg massacre
In the gruesome Nandimarg massacre, 24 Kashmiri Pandits were slaughtered by terrorists in the Nandimarg village of Pulwama district on March 23, 2003. The attack was carried out by terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba who came dressed as military personnel. The victims, including 11 men, 11 women and 2 boys, were brought out of their houses and shot dead.
2006 Doda massacre
In the infamous Doda massacre, 54 Hindus were brutally killed by Islamic terrorists in two separate attacks carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Doda and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir on April 30, 2006. In the first attack, the terrorists, dressed as Army personnel, lined up around 22 Hindu villagers, mostly shepherds and their families, and opened fire at them in Thawa village in Kulhand area of Doda district. The victims included a 3-year-old girl. The doctor who asked to conduct the postmortem of the dead bodies reportedly suffered a heart attack seeing the condition of the bodies.
In the terrorist attack that happened the same day in the Lalon Galla village in the Basantgarh area of the Udhampur district. The terrorists abducted 35 Hindu shepherds from the village and gunned them down.
2021 killing of a school principal and a teacher by terrorists
On October 7, 2021, terrorists killed a principal and a teacher in a school in Srinagar. Principal Satinder Kaur and teacher Deepak Chand died after they were shot at point-blank range at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Idgah, Sangam in Srinagar. Satinder Kaur belonged to the minority Sikh community, while Deepak Chand belonged to the minority community of Kashmiri Pandits. They were selectively killed for their religion, as the terrorists had separated them from the Muslim teachers before shooting at them.
The terrorist attacks mentioned above leave no doubt about the religious motivation behind them. All these attacks were communally motivated, wherein Hindus were selectively targeted and killed by the Islamic terrorists. And yet, the religious motivation behind such attacks never finds a place in the public or political discourse around such terrorist attacks. The debates in the aftermath of such attacks are always centred on the ‘how’ rather than the ‘why’ of the attack. From governments to security forces to even the victims, everyone is blamed except the terrorists and the ideology that motivates them to take lives in such a cold-blooded manner. The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam is no exception.
According to an eyewitness of the Pahalgam terror assault, which happened on 22nd April, the terrorists cursed Prime Minister Narendra Modi before killing the Hindu tourists. Asavari Jagdale, the 26-year-old daughter of a 54-year-old businessman from Pune, who was also murdered by the assailants, described how they confronted her father, Santosh Jagdale and demanded that he recite an Islamic verse. They shot him in the head, behind the ear and then in the back after he was unable to comply.
The unfortunate family was hiding inside a tent while gunfire and cries for assistance echoed through the popular tourist destination in Pahalgam. According to Asavari, the terror commenced when they heard shots coming from “people who wore clothes similar to those of local police” coming down from a hill. She hurried to a nearby tent with other tourists, accompanied by her father and mother, Pragati. They thought that it was an altercation between the security officers and the attackers. The attackers were firing at an adjacent tent as the sound grew closer.
“We were a group of five people, including my parents. We were in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam and were at a spot called Mini Switzerland when the firing began. We immediately rushed to a nearby tent for protection. So did six to seven others (tourists). We all lay down on the ground as protection against the firing, which we then assumed was between the terrorists and security personnel,” she recounted the harrowing details.
“Chaudhary, tu bahar aa jaa (Chaudhary, you come outside)” was the next chilling command. The attackers blamed them for backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the exchange that followed her father being dragged from the tent. The group was charged with supporting him. They even claimed that Kashmiri militants do not murder women, children or innocent people. “They then asked my father to recite an Islamic verse (probably the Kalma). When he failed to do so, they pumped three bullets into him, one on the head, one behind the ear and another in the back,” she narrated.
The distressed young woman added, “My uncle, who was beside me, was also shot multiple times. Several other men at the spot were gunned down as well. There was nobody to help.” Twenty minutes later, she stated, police and security personnel arrived at the location. Locals and security authorities rescued her, Pragati and the relative from Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley. However, they were unaware whether her father and uncle were still alive.
“The people who took us to the spot on ponies helped us – three women, including myself, my mother and – made the return journey. Later, we underwent medical examination to check for injuries and were then shifted to the Pahalgam Club,” she informed.
Six Maharashtra residents, including her father, were among the 26 persons killed in the terror assault. The other five were Dilip Dosale of Navi Mumbai, Kaustubh Ganbote of Pune, Atul Mane, Sanjay Lele and Hemant Joshi, all from Thane. A couple from Nagpur fled moments before the attack started. They ran with their son and never turned around. The man expressed, “This incident happened when we had just left the place of the incident. We could hear the sound of firing for a long time. Everyone was trying to escape from the place.”
His wife fell and had two fractures, including one to her leg, as dozens attempted to leave through a single gate that was about four feet wide. There was nowhere to hide in the vast, open area for those who couldn’t escape. Attackers opened fire while tourists were enjoying themselves in the Baisaran Valley, sometimes referred to as “mini Switzerland.” The injured were evacuated from the meadow, which was only reachable on foot, by helicopters. Security personnel hurried to the scene after hearing gunshots.
Two foreigners and two locals were among the 26 people killed in the bloodiest attack to hit Jammu and Kashmir since the Pulwama massacre in 2019. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist organization claimed responsibility.
Prime Minister Narendra cut short his trip to Saudi Arabia and Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar. He met with key officials, including LG (Lieutenant Governor) Manoj Sinha and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, for a high-level security review.
In the aftermath of the tragic terror attack that led to the death of many innocent lives on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday reviewed the security situation at the site of the terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow.
The Union Minister first took an aerial stock of the region as he arrived at the site by helicopter, descending onto the meadow now bearing the scars of violence, earlier in the day.
Amit Shah walked around the area amid tight security and was briefed by top officials on the current situation and ongoing operations in the area.
The visit comes amid heightened alert across the Kashmir Valley following the attack, which targeted tourists in one of the region’s key travel destinations.
Tuesday’s incident is considered one of the most serious attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The government is yet to release an official count of casualties.
Before heading to Pahalgam, the Union Home Minister paid tribute to the victims with a “heavy heart” during a poignant ceremony and met with the families of the victims outside the Police Control Room in Srinagar.
Taking to X, Amit Shah expressed the centre’s firm resolve to combat terrorism, stating that “Bharat will not bend to terror.”
“With a heavy heart, paid last respects to the deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack. Bharat will not bend to terror. The culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared,” Shah stated.
Meanwhile, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team also arrived at the attack site to join the probe and assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police on the matter, which is considered the deadliest assault on civilians in the region in almost twenty years.
The NIA team – led by a Deputy Inspector General-rank officer – visited Baisaran a day after terrorists gunned down a group of tourists in the picturesque meadow, which is located around five kilometres from Pahalgam town in Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Official sources privy to the development told ANI that “the NIA team members will be assisting the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the investigation.”
The NIA’s assistance to J-K Police underscores a key role in the overall investigation, as Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba’s proxy, the Resistance Front (TRF), has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The NIA team is expected to conduct a thorough assessment of the attack site, collect forensic evidence, and help in identifying those responsible for the carnage.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
In one of the bloodiest terror strikes in recent times, 41-year-old Bharat Bhushan, a tech professional from Bengaluru, was brutally gunned down in front of his wife and three-year-old son in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday. The attack, carried out by terrorists suspected to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba’s proxy outfit, ‘The Resistance Front’, left 26 dead and dozens injured, turning a serene tourist haven into a nightmare.
According to Bhushan’s mother-in-law, who spoke to her daughter Sujatha after the incident, the terrorists coldly asked the victims whether they were Hindus before opening fire.
“They apparently asked, ‘Are you Hindu?’ and then shot them. My son-in-law was murdered because of his faith,” she said through tears. “They didn’t touch the women or children, but the men… they were shot in the head. They kept shooting till they fell.”
Sujatha, a doctor by profession, realised instantly that her husband was no more. Acting with incredible presence of mind amidst chaos and carnage, she picked up her husband’s phone and wallet and ran to safety with their child. The Indian Army quickly secured the area and moved the survivors to a safe location.
Bhushan, originally from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, was the co-manager of a family-run diagnostic centre and had made a quiet life for himself in Bengaluru’s Mattikere with his young family. This vacation to Kashmir was supposed to be a break from routine — a chance to make memories. Instead, it turned into a tragedy that will haunt his loved ones forever.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya confirmed he had spoken to the grieving Sujatha and coordinated with authorities for her safety.
“Her husband was shot dead in cold blood. She and her little boy survived. The local administration is providing all necessary support,” he posted on X.
Another tourist from Karnataka, Manjunath Rao, a realtor from Shivamogga, was also killed in the same attack. Like Bhushan, he too was travelling with his wife and son.
What was meant to be a tranquil day among Pahalgam’s green hills and lush orchards turned into a blood-soaked horror. Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of utter panic as multiple terrorists stormed the Baisaran Valley, firing indiscriminately. With no shelter in the wide-open landscape, tourists were left defenceless, caught between bullets and fear.
Among the dead were a recently-married Navy officer, an Intelligence Bureau agent shot dead before his wife, two foreign nationals from the UAE and Nepal, and two locals — their lives snuffed out in a matter of moments.
Security forces have since launched a full-scale manhunt. A photograph of four terrorists believed to be behind the attack has been released. Two are suspected to be foreign nationals. Though TRF, a Lashkar-backed proxy, has claimed responsibility, an official confirmation from the government is awaited.
This was not just an attack on individuals. It was a direct assault on the idea of peaceful coexistence, on the spirit of tourism, on the safety of innocents. And above all, it was a hate crime of the worst kind, targeting people for their faith.
Terrorists opened fire on a group of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir, killing at least 28 people and injuring many others. This is among the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Six foreign terrorists, clad in army uniforms, reportedly used religion to identify their victims by asking them their names and identity cards. They were told to recite Islamic scriptures and even take off their pants before they were sprayed with bullets.
In light of the shocking and distressing event, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader and Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi also condemned the “barbaric attack on tourists and locals in Baisaran.” He stated that mindless acts of violence are an insult to common humanity and “stain the conscience of our society.” He added, “Kashmir has always opened its arms to guests. Those who seek to poison this bond only betray the values we hold dear.”
Strongly condemn the barbaric attack on tourists and locals in Baisaran, Pahalgam. Such acts of mindless violence are an affront to our shared humanity and stain the conscience of our society. Kashmir has always opened its arms to guests. Those who seek to poison this bond only…
— Office of Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi (@Office_ASRM) April 22, 2025
Notably, three months ago, during an interview with Nous Network, Mehdi articulated his profound disdain for the expanding tourism in Kashmir, referring to it as a cultural encroachment. “What is happening right now, which is being called tourism, it’s not that in my view. This is a cultural invasion. It’s happening by purpose and by design. A particular set of people are being brought intentionally, by design and for specific activities which are executed as part of a cultural invasion that is currently underway in Jammu and Kashmir, deliberately, with the aim of disturbing the environment,” he conveyed in the video which was released on 4th January.
He further complained about alcohol consumption in the region and claimed “it was unheard of” in Jammu and Kashmir and added, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have always respected the choices of others. If someone came from outside, as a tourist, and belonged to a different faith than ours, maybe in their faith, alcohol consumption is not forbidden. There were confined areas and arrangements specifically for them, so they could consume it. Similarly, they also understood that in this society, in this culture drinking alcohol might not be considered appropriate.”
“I’ll name some specific areas, though it’s happening in many places, but these are known hotspots, which will give you an idea: the Dal Gate area, the area around Dal Lake, Boulevard Road. These places are now flooded with tourist activities. There, people come in shorts, sometimes even barely dressed and openly drink alcohol. They consume it to such an extent that alcohol-related abuses start to appear. You must have seen this during the summer, read reports, observed cases as many incidents came to light. People drink openly on the roads, in shikaras (houseboats) and even take it out into restaurants and consume it there. Videos of many such individuals have been recorded intentionally, and yes, these are tourists,” he further expanded his anti-tourist rhetoric. Obviously, the grand ideals of liberalism, tolerance and acceptance are eliminated by the harsh blade of Islamic extremism.
“There are many such examples which, in the current climate, people outside may not fully grasp. But the people of Jammu & Kashmir will understand the kind of apparent changes they’re witnessing. Changes in attire, in consumption habits and in behavior, an entire pattern of objectionable behaviour is imported in the area. A type of conduct that’s considered inappropriate even in places like UP or Bihar,” he added exposing the deep-rooted racism as if Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are inferior states.
“A person with the right mindset could never appreciate that kind of behaviour or appearance even in those places,” he declared and then disseminated a conspiracy theory indicating that the young people of Kashmir are being systematically led to substance abuse. He asserted that the entire system, encompassing the government, defence forces and administration, is accountable for the drug issue in Kashmir.
“This has consistently been a part of the strategy behind cultural invasions, power invasions or takeovers. Punjab is a major example of this within our own country. When you want to attack a society, when you want to take it over in any form, this is no hidden or secret matter, the RSS ideology aims to take over Jammu & Kashmir, specifically the Kashmiri Muslim identity. There is a direct move towards that goal and one major component of such invasions is to weaken or destroy a generation, to annihilate it. One of the key instruments used to achieve this is drug abuse. We’ve seen this happen in Punjab and now we are witnessing the same happening in Kashmir and it’s happening by purpose,” he claimed and even asserted that individuals are receiving calls from police stations if they prevent anyone from using drugs.
India wanted real estate, Kashmir a different civilisation
The MP described the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India as unethical, asserting that India exploited the circumstances in the region for its own gain. “India took advantage of a pressing situation. It assumed control of a territory, capitalising on the vulnerability of its inhabitants. This was not a charitable act. It was a strategy for land acquisition. Therefore, it can be interpreted as a geopolitical arrangement. They obtained a piece of real estate by preying on the helplessness of the community. I recognise this reality and have come to terms with the pain as well,” he declared.
His disinclination to view Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is distinctly reflected in his statement and it is particularly alarming that he pledges allegiance to the constitution of a nation he evidently despises. He subsequently complained about the absence of a plebiscite in the territory, portraying it as a betrayal of its people. “Hand over your real estate to us, or else we’ll leave you to the dogs and throw you under the bus. So, if you want to survive, give up your area,” he added, claiming this is how Maharaja Hari Singh was blackmailed by the Indian state. The politician is unabashedly revealing his aversion to being part of the nation in which he holds a parliamentary seat.
He even went as far as to characterise India and Kashmir as two separate civilisations. The name Kashmir, rooted in Indian culture and historically ruled by significant Hindu kings, was represented as a distinct entity only due to demographic shifts that have caused the genocide and exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. “A particular culture, a society, a civilisation is handing itself over to another civilisation. This is not an interaction. This is an unwanted deal forced and pushed by circumstances between two civilisations,” he maintained, while shrewdly arguing that it is not a religious matter. However, what sets Kashmir apart from the rest of the nation, if not its predominantly Muslim population and Islamism?
Propaganda of demographic change accusing BJP-RSS
Mehdi claimed that the centre has orchestrated demographic changes in the area and remarked, “14 million cannot consume 1.4 billion in any way. I, coming from Kashmir, cannot consume the whole of India. I cannot change its identity. I cannot change its language. I cannot consume its land. I cannot consume its jobs. I cannot consume its resources. Now reverse it. Leave all those doors and gates, whatever you want to call them, open. Leave Kashmir, with its population of 14 million, open to 1.4 billion people. There can be demographic change, linguistic change, cultural change and religious changes. Your land will go, your jobs will go, your resources will go and we are already witnessing it.”
Echoing the sentiments of fellow Islamists, he wants to use India as a cash cow and a realm of opportunities for the people of the vallery, however, envisions Jammu and Kashmir as an independent state within the country that possesses its own autonomy and sovereignty, restricting entry to individuals from other parts of the nation. He fundamentally desires Kashmir to exist as an independent entity from India, which is merely recognised as part of the nation on paper, yet is completely disassociated in every practical sense.
Mehdi, in a bid to create a false equivalence, then stated how powerful countries, such as the United States, issue their own constitutions and flags and hand over special authorities to their states. However, he neglected to address the profoundly distinct historical backgrounds of the two countries. The United States was never divided along religious lines, nor has it encountered the magnitude of jihad and terrorism that India has been enduring to this day.
He asserted that Article 370 represented the limited leverage that the residents of the region possessed in their otherwise disadvantageous negotiations with the Indian state. He asserted that the homes and properties of Muslims were destroyed in various regions under the guise of beautification during the 1970s and 1980s and even blamed Jagmohan Malhotra, former governor of Jammu and Kashmir for it and accused him of sharing the ideology of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
As anticipated, following his vitriolic remarks against India, he commenced his agenda of playing victim while disparaging a democratically elected party and a social organization for not aligning with his ideology. He even made considerable efforts to portray India and Pakistan in a similar light, asserting that the terrorists who resorted to violence, along with stone pelters and others of their kind, did not wish to be associated with either nation.
The statement is quite in contrast to the ground realities, as Pakistan has been instrumental in perpetrating terrorism in Kashmir. Moreover, public declarations by hardliners like Syed Ali Shah Geelani about their love for the neighbouring country along with the display of Pakistani flags during protests and on the corpses of terrorists as well as substantial evidence indicating that the Islamic Republic has been fostering terrorism in the area, points towards the same.
India is not secular, shocking analogy with Draupadi
“Now, after 50 or 60 years, India is neither secular nor pluralistic. Neither does it behave that way, nor does it celebrate diversity. There is no right to equality,” he parliamentarian ironically voiced after stating that he does not want other people from other parts of India in Kashmir, as he desires the region to maintain its Muslim identity. He referred to the Indian administration as ‘trigger happy’ in relation to Muslims and spread the same untruths about police killings of Muslims during the Sambhal unrest, last year. Nevertheless, the authorities confirmed that they utilised only rubber bullets and conventional anti-riot equipment like tear gas and sticks.
“After 2014, they began to enforce things forcibly using the government and institutions to do so,” he charged as if evreything was honky dory in the valley and every issue originated after the BJP-led government came to power at the centre.
“I had heard, or read in school somewhere, the story of Draupadi, that episode where she was being humiliated and disrobed. I believe that’s the word used in Hindi, Vastraharan and the Kauravas were sitting there, laughing. What was done to us in the name of religion, what happened in 2019, was exactly that for me. Kashmir was Draupadi and her honor was being torn apart. This entire ecosystem, I’m not just talking about one moment or one act, but this entire idea, the right-wing ideology, and its ecosystem: the media, mainstream media, social media, all of it has been compromised including the institutions, the government and ministers,” he alleged.
It is strange that the violent killings of Kashmiri Hindus in the valley do not provoke any strong feelings, whereas a governmental effort to assimilate the area into the country triggers such vehement sentiments. He even denied the involvement of locals in the oppression of Kashmiri Pandits, claiming that more Muslims had lost their lives. He failed to mention that Pandits were specifically targeted due to their religious beliefs and were dubbed as agents of India.
The entire conversation was a thorough assault on the Indian government and its influence in Kashmir. He dismissed the developmental efforts undertaken by the center in the region, which are even envied by the people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He conveniently omitted to mention the number of Indians who purchased property in Kashmir and subsequently settled on the land as this would have revealed his falsehoods.
Nonetheless, his present opinions are not unexpected, as he made similar comments during an interview with The Wire’s Arfa Khanum Sherwani, last year. He warned the Indian government that the discontent among Kashmiris regarding the abrogation of Article 370 could resurface at any moment, similar to the events that unfolded 40 years post-independence. This “Indian leader” appears to act as a mouthpiece for Pakistan, consistently taking the chance to denounce his nation and instigate discord in the valley.
Security agencies have released sketches of three individuals believed to be responsible for Tuesday’s deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists and left many others injured. The suspects have been identified as Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha.
Affiliated with The Resistance Front—a proxy group linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—the terrorists targeted tourists at Baisaran meadow, a well-known scenic spot, in what is being termed one of the most devastating attacks in the region in recent times.
According to reports, a group of five to six militants, dressed in camouflage gear and traditional kurta-pyjamas, emerged from the thick pine forests surrounding the area and unleashed gunfire using AK-47 rifles.
Investigators have named Saifullah Kasuri, also known by the alias Khalid, a high-ranking Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, as the mastermind behind the recent terror attack. Additionally, two other terrorists based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are also believed to be involved in planning and executing the attack.
In response, security forces have launched a large-scale counter-terror operation, utilising helicopters to track down the assailants, who are believed to have fled through the dense forested terrain.
Preliminary forensic evidence, along with eyewitness testimonies, points to the use of military-grade weapons and advanced communication equipment, indicating that the attackers may have received backing from outside sources.
“Terrorism has no religion”. The secular liberal enablers of Islamists are at it again after Islamic terrorists ambushed a group of unarmed Hindu tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on 22nd April 2025. The Islamic terrorists belonging to the proxy of Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), The Resistance Force, checked IDs, pulled down pants to verify religion (by checking whether the men were circumcised or not), and executed those identified as non-Muslims, point-blank in Baisaran Valley.
Eyewitness statements have confirmed this.
While Islamic terrorists specifically targeted Hindus, the Indian ‘liberals’, ever-ready to whitewash Islamic violence, jumped like a spring to downplay the religious motivations of Islamists behind attacking Hindus, resorted to peddling the same old ‘Terrorism has no religion’ narrative.
In this vein, Bar and Bench journalist Ratna Singh quoted a post by BJP Chhattisgarh wherein it said that the Islamic terrorists asked the religion of tourists, not caste, before shooting them dead, and said: “Terrorism has no religion. Shameful tweet”.
Pro-Congress ‘folk singer’ Neha Singh Rathore went a step ahead and decided to discredit the testimony of the Hindu victims who revealed that the Islamic terrorists confirmed the Hindu identity of the tourists before killing them. Rathore shared a list carrying the names of the victims, among whom one happened to be a local Muslim worker. While she did not explicitly write ‘terrorism has no religion’, her shameful attempt at politicising and secularising the jihadist attack on Hindus demonstrates that, being a typical Islamist cheerleader, her priority is to whitewash Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorism.
“If terrorists were killing Hindus after asking about their religion, then why was Saeed Hussain Shah killed? Don’t fall prey to the politics of those who see ‘opportunity in disaster’,” Rathore posted.
She has published many such posts which reminds one of how the Islamo-leftist cabal insinuated that the 2019 Pulwama attack wherein 40 Indian Army personnel martyred was orchestrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for electoral gains ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, Supriya Sule, the NCP leader, downplayed the Islamic terrorist attack in Pahalgam by calling it a “firing incident”.
Salman Nizami, the leader of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), also used the killing of a local Muslim during the attack to shield Islamic terrorism.
“Syed Hassan Shah- a brave Kashmiri Muslim was shot dead while saving tourists in Pahalgam. Once again, I say: terrorism has no religion. There are still people who believe in humanity. Islam does not allow the killing of innocents, nor does Kashmiriyat. Those who killed innocent people are not humans, they have nothing to do with Islam. They are enemies of Kashmir and of humanity!,” Nizami posted.
Syed Hassan Shah- a brave Kashmiri Muslim was shot dead while saving tourists in Pahalgam. Once again, I say: terrorism has no religion. There are still people who believe in humanity. Islam does not allow the killing of innocents, nor does Kashmiriyat. Those who killed innocent… pic.twitter.com/6dYg7lBrxV
Darab Farooqui, a full-time radical and part-time Bollywood screenwriter, insinuated that the anti-Hindu terror attack in Pahalgam was not an act of Islamic terrorism against Hindus, but ‘they’ will attempt to portray it as one.
“They will attempt to portray the terrorist attack in Pahalgam as Hindu-Muslim. But this should not prevent you from asking a genuine question about security and governance. This is a resounding failure of the Home Ministry. They are responsible for it,” Farooqui posted.
Just like other Islamo-leftists, Farooqui also used Syed Hassan Shah’s killing to discredit the eyewitness accounts, which confirmed that the terrorists checked the religious identity of tourists before killing them. “When they were asking for names before shooting, by mistake, Hussain Shah must have given his name as Hemang Shah…” Farooqui posted.
While the terrorists did kill Syed Hassan Shah, unlike Hindu tourists, Shah was not killed for his religious identity, rather, he was unfortunately collateral damage. Also, it is not a new phenomenon for Islamic terrorists to kill local Muslims whom they do not deem “Muslim enough” or simply hate Hindus as much as they do.
From the Kashmir Hindu genocide in 1990s, the 1993 Kishtwar attack on a bus full pf passengers wherein Hindus were singled out and shot, the 1997 Wandhama wherein Kashmiri pandits were targeted, rounded up inside their homes and shot dead, the 1998 Prankote and Daikote 29 Hindus villagers identified and beheaded inside their houses, the 2000 Chittisinghpura attack wherein 36 Sikhs were killed, the 2000 Amarnath pilgrims attack, the 2003 Nandigram attack, the Doda massacre to the sporadic attacks on ‘nonlocal’ labourers in last few years, the 2021 incident wherein Jihadis killed a school principal and a teacher, Sikh and Hindu, after checking their identity, killings of Hindu businessmen and a chemist, attack on Gujarati pilgrims, and now Pahalgam attack, Hindus and other non-Muslims have been massacred by Islamic terrorists precisely for their religion.
The only variation has been that the Jihadis were either local Kashmiris or Pakistan-sent terrorists; even in these cases, they were backed by the Pakistani establishment to wage jihad against India.
While Islamo-leftists have their own agenda behind shielding Islamic terrorism and whitewashing Jihad against Kafirs, it is high time for Hindus and all non-Muslim communities to understand, terrorism is not a Kashmir specific problem, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Sri Lanka Easter bombing, and many more, terror has always had one religion, and it kills those who do not follow that religion. No mollycoddling, no appeasement, no amount of pandering to Islam and Muslims, can change the Jihadist imperative to wage war on Kafirs, sanctioned by the religious beliefs of Islamic terrorists.
The anti-Hindu terror attack in Pahalgam by the Pakistani Islamic terrorist group LeT’s offshoot came just days after Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir spewed venom against Hindus, invoked the divisive two-nation theory, and most importantly, he reiterated that Kashmir is and will continue to be the “jugular vein” of Islamabad. The sequence of events makes it evident that the Pakistan-backed terrorists attacked Hindus, not just Indians, but Hindus. They meticulously confirmed the religious identity of the tourists by pulling down their pants, asking them to recite Islamic Kalma, and shot them only after they were sure that the tourists were Hindus, and yet, the Islamist enablers masquerading as ‘secular liberals’ want Indians, particularly, Hindus to believe that ‘terrorism has no religion’. Muslim terrorists of the Islamic terror group TRF, driven by their hatred for Hindus, killed Hindus because of their Hindu identity, but ‘terror has no religion’. Muslim politicians like Ruhullah Mehdi portray increased tourism as ‘cultural invasion’ and an attempt to alter the demography of Kashmir, framing it as a threat to Muslim dominance in the region, but of course, terror has no religion. Kashmiri Pandits were killed and chased away from the valley with slogans of Raliv, Galiv, Chaliv (convert, die or flee), but of course, terror has no religion.
Ironically, the Islamic terrorists who carry out attacks against Hindus, explicitly boast their Jihadist religious beliefs and quote verses from their religious text before slaughtering Kafirs, but somehow their ‘secular’ cheerleaders know about the motivations of terrorists better than terrorists themselves and outrightly extricate religiosity that drives Islamic terrorism and used by Jihadis to justify violence. Liberals live in denial and want Hindus, too, to live in denial and perish at the hands of those who hate them for simply existing. However, this denial of religious-ideological fuel offers no communal harmony, no peace, no solution; rather, it only facilitates the perpetuation of anti-Hindu hatred and violence.
It is thus pertinent to reiterate that the terrorists in Pahalgam did not randomly open fire on tourists; they used religious markers to single out Hindus and shoot them. Anyone discrediting the testimony of victims who have lost their loved ones in this cowardly attack is an enemy of India and Hindus. Asavari Jagdale, a survivor, recounted how her father and uncle were killed after being identified as Hindus as they failed to recite the Kalma. Yet, the liberal brigade dares to invalidate the lived reality of Hindu victims.
While Islamo-leftists would want to conceal the jihadist designs of terrorists in Kashmir or Muslim rioters in other states as seen in Maharashtra’s Nagpur and West Bengal’s Murshidabad, it is essential to say it out loud that be Pahalgam attack was an act of Islamic terrorism carried out by Jihadi terrorists. Counterterrorism requires dismantling the propaganda, the networks, funding, and teachings that fuel terrorism. A problem can be solved only when it is identified in its entirety. Being apologetic and shying away from uncomfortable truths or pretending terrorism has no religion will not end the menace of Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorism. Admitting and strongly acting against the hateful ideology as well as its armed and unarmed proponents will. If liberals are more worried about adverse impact of terrorism on tourism in Kashmir, supposed surge in hostile sentiments towards Jihadis than about Hindu victims who bodies are yet to turn cold, then they are a part of the problem, the Jihadi problem.
Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir, tourists have started to scramble to leave the region as soon as possible. Moreover, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has also been closed due to the Ramban landslide, leading to a surge in flight prices leaving Srinagar.
A search for Srinagar-Delhi flights shows that for next few days, flights are priced at the range of ₹8,000 to ₹9,000, more than double the usual ticket price for the route. On the other hand, Delhi-Srinagar flight tickets are available at ₹3,500-₹4,500, reflecting extremely low demand for that journey.
Amid this, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation under the Civil Aviation Ministry has asked the airlines to increase the number of flights from Srinagar to various destinations across India. The DGCA also urged the airlines to “consider waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees and provide all necessary assistance to tourists facing unexpected circumstances and challenges during this difficult time.”
Aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack, DGCA issues advisory to airlines over surge in pricing and waiving cancellation charges: DGCA pic.twitter.com/GHzerH1NSw
Additionally, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has also issued a strong advisory to airlines against surge pricing on the Srinagar route. The minister held an emergency meeting with the airline operators, in which he directed them to maintain regular fares for flights taking off from Srinagar.
To help tourists leave Kashmir as soon as possible, airlines have also arranged for additional flights. As part of immediate relief measures, four special flights from Srinagar—two to Delhi and two to Mumbai—have been arranged by Air India and IndiGo. Additional flights have been kept on standby to cater to further evacuation needs.
Ram Mohan Naidu also directed all airlines to extend full cooperation for the transportation of deceased individuals to their respective home states, working in sync with state governments and local authorities.
Minister Naidu also talked to Home Minister Amit Shah, and he is monitoring the situation round the clock, working in close coordination with relevant authorities.
Jammu-Srinagar Highway
The Jammu-Srinagar Highway was blocked by landslides triggered by flash floods on Sunday, with hundreds of vehicles left stranded on the road. NHAI officials have said that it will take 5-6 days to remove the debris from the road, which is as high as over 20 feet at some places. The road has been blocked in 20 places, and work is ongoing to simultaneously at all those places.
However, the authorities on Monday reopened the Mughal Road, providing an alternative link between Kashmir and Jammu.
J&K CM Omar Abdullah said that the National Highway has also been reconnected partially for traffic in a single direction. He tweeted, “I’ve directed the administration to facilitate traffic between Srinagar & Jammu allowing tourist vehicles to leave. This will have to be done in a controlled & organised way because the road is still unstable in places and we are also working hard to clear all the stranded vehicles.”
It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave. While DGCA & the Ministry of Civil Aviation are working to organise extra flights,… pic.twitter.com/5O3i5U1rBh
CM Abdullah added that the government will not be able to permit completely free movement of vehicles at the moment, as the road has not been restored completely.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (22nd April) commuted the death penalty of a man convicted of brutally murdering his entire family, including his wife and 4 children, in Kerala and raping his own daughter. The convict named Reji Kumar alias Reji was granted a death sentence in 2010 trial court, which found him guilty of the murdering his wife Lissy and 4 children, aged 12, 10, 9 and 3, and raping his eldest daughter before killing her.
Reji’s conviction and the death penalty were upheld by the Kerala High Court in 2014, which noted, “Here, the evidence is conclusive enough to hold that the appellant had no repentance at all.”
The convict moved the Supreme Court challenging the order of the High Court. Deciding on his appeal, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta observed that the convict showed ‘significant improvement’ in his conduct during his imprisonment. The court noted that he did not have any criminal history, was given responsibilities by jail authorities, and donated ₹83,000 to various causes involving the bail of fellow prisoners. The Apex Court also took into account his childhood trauma due to neglect and family instability, and psychological reports. “Considering the facts that the convict-appellant had no prior antecedents, good conduct for the past 16-17 years of incarceration, difficulties in mental health, and consistent efforts at being a model prisoner, we find that the imposition of the death penalty would be unjustified. He is, therefore, removed from death row,” the Supreme Court said, altering his sentence from the death penalty to life imprisonment for the duration of his natural life.
“However, considering the severity of the crime, the number of persons killed, that out of five, four were his own children, we are of the view that he does not deserve to be set free and direct that he shall spend the remainder of his days in jail, till his last breath, hoping to do acts of penance to atone for the crimes he has committed and particularly for the fact that he extinguished four bright flames….The death sentence is commuted to life imprisonment till the end of natural life,” the Court said.
The convict had an affair with another woman and was suspected his wife of infidelity
Convict Reji, a chemistry graduate with a diploma in computer applications, used to work as an agricultural labourer. He had a wife, Lissy, and four children—three daughters (aged 12, 9, and 3) and a son (aged 10). In the course of his employment, he developed intimate relations with a woman named Usha. Besides, he suspected his wife of infidelity and believed that the youngest daughter was not his. The High Court observed that Reji wanted to live with Usha, and therefore, he killed his entire family to clear his way. “The evidence would indicate that the intention of the appellant was to live with PW24 (Usha) after annihilating his family,” the High Court noted.
While convicting him for the murder of his family, the trial court rejected his defence that he killed his family out of unhappiness and frustration and not due to criminal tendency. The court noted that the manner of commission of the crime was well-arranged and planned.
