The tragic 22 April attack in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists, including a Nepalese national, lost their lives, has cast a dark shadow over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Without conducting a thorough investigation or presenting credible evidence, the Modi government swiftly pointed fingers at Pakistan, a narrative that Pakistan has vehemently denied, even offering a neutral investigation which India rejected.
This incident has sparked widespread speculation of a false flag operation, allegedly orchestrated to serve Modi’s domestic political agenda and strategic maneuvers against Pakistan.
The Pahalgam Incident: A Pretext for Oppression
Critics argue that the Modi administration has exploited the Pahalgam attack to intensify its crackdown on the Kashmiri resistance movement. The aftermath saw a brutal wave of “collective punishment” imposed on Kashmiris, a practice condemned as a crime against humanity under international law. Despite Kashmiris expressing solidarity with the victims through candlelight vigils, Indian security forces responded with excessive force, demolishing homes and arresting thousands, including young individuals targeted under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA).
Collective Punishment: A Tool of Terror
Homes of alleged resistance fighters were razed without warning, often damaging neighboring properties, despite a landmark 2024 Indian Supreme Court ruling banning such “bulldozer justice.” Regional leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have decried this lawlessness, urging the government to differentiate between terrorists and innocent civilians. The arrest of around 3,000 Kashmiri youths, with reports of custodial deaths, further paints a grim picture of state-sponsored repression.
Spreading Hate Beyond Kashmir
The repercussions of the Pahalgam incident extend beyond IIOJK, with Kashmiri students and workers facing harassment and violence across India. Incidents of assaults in cities like Nagpur, Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh, coupled with threats from groups like Hindu Raksha Dal, have fueled a climate of fear. Social media has amplified this hate, with calls to “flatten Kashmir like Gaza” and songs like “Pehle Dharam Pocha” gaining traction, targeting Muslims nationwide.
Extremist Hindu Governance Reaping Benefits
The Modi government’s actions appear to bolster the extremist Hindu agenda, leveraging the attack to polarize communities and consolidate political support. The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC has raised alarms, urging India to uphold human rights obligations and protect its Muslim population from escalating Islamophobia and hate crimes.
Systematic oppression
The Pahalgam attack and its aftermath expose a troubling narrative of alleged false flag operations and systematic oppression under Modi’s rule. As IIOJK remains one of the world’s most militarized zones, the international community must address the plight of Kashmiris and hold the extremist Hindu governance accountable for its alleged exploitation of this tragedy.
