Is Jammu and Kashmir losing its calm again?

The horrific attack by terrorists in Pahalgam in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday afternoon, which left 26 people dead, has shocked not only the country but also the entire world. Most of the dead, including a Keralite and two foreigners, were tourists. The gunmen, dressed in military uniform, opened fire in the Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam, whose terrain is such that it can only be reached on foot or on horseback. This area, a paradise for mountaineers and nature lovers, is under heavy security due to its fame among travellers as a mini Switzerland as also to its proximity to the Amarnath shrine which attract steady flow of pilgrims. However, eyewitnesses and survivors say that the terrorists suddenly emerged from the nearby forest area and unleashed violence.

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The latest terror attack comes as life in Kashmir has been returning to normal for some time and tourism, the lifeblood of the Kashmiri people, has been gradually picking up. This is the first large-scale incident of violence since the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked in 2019 and the state was divided into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. About forty people were reportedly at the scene on the day of the incident. The attackers apparently chose an area where the army or rescue workers could not easily reach and provide assistance. The observation that the attackers chose the day of US Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to India is not very relevant. For no crucial discussions took place during that visit, which was half official and half private. It is clear that the masterminds dared to carry out a terrorist operation that could shock tourists during their relaxing journeys. Local Kashmiris, who make a living from tourism, are denouncing the terrorists and organising protests, proclaiming their innocence.

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From the Prime Minister to the Leader of the Opposition, most national and state political leaders have unanimously condemned the act and have declared their full support for taking strict action. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia and Home Minister Amit Shah immediately rushed to Srinagar. Both actions point to the seriousness of the incident. It is noteworthy that even as the Congress President said that the country is united against terrorism, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi remarked that what is needed is not o make empty claims of things being normal, but ensure accountability. When a bandh was observed in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, most political parties supported it. The key step to take now is to arrest and punish the perpetrators of the terrorist attack, and to find the masterminds through an honest investigation and bring them to justice.

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It has been reported that the Lashkar-e-Taiba's off-shoot 'The Resistance Front', which is classified as a terrorist organisation by India, has taken responsibility for the act. Everyone is demanding a thorough investigation to prove who was the mastermind and the links behind this operation. It may be recalled that the conspiracy behind the Pulwama terror attack right before the 2019 general elections has not been fully uncovered yet. Now, narratives from Pahalgam are coming out in the mainstream media and even more exaggerated ones are popping up on social media. Most of them are being spread by vested interests to incite enmity and hatred between different communities. The outcry on social media proves that the perpetrators of hatred have quickly adopted the tactic of defaming the entire population of a region or targeting specific communities. Terrorists carried out the attack by taking advantage of the shortcomings of the security forces and the central administration that lead them - an act that deserve total condemnation. But the despicable attempt to frame specific communities and attempts to instill suspicion, rivalry, and hatred among different sections of the population should be decried as much as the brutal attacks are condemned. To bring justice to those who have been subjected to this heinous massacre, the attackers should be immediately caught and punished fittingly so that such mishap do not recur. Those who govern the country should sincerely try to bring peace and tranquility to Kashmir and even India as a whole by suppressing the destructive forces of hatred that try to divide people.