The chilling terror attack at Baisaran Meadow, Pahalgam—where 28 innocent lives were snuffed out,–has left India reeling with grief and outrage. Once a sanctuary of laughter and song amid the Himalayan slopes, those hills now bear the stain of innocent blood spilled by the terrorists. Our sorrow for the victims must be matched by a resolute, collective commitment: to safeguard every citizen, to defend the pluralism enshrined in our Constitution, and to defeat the hatred that would shatter our social fabric.
This atrocity cannot be viewed in isolation. Recent developments in neighboring Pakistan—election rigging, the jailing and torture of opposition, and incendiary pronouncements by Army Chief General Asim Munir championing a renewed “two-nation” ideology—point to a widening strategy of diversion of domestic pressure by flaring up Kashmir and destabilization. By funneling internal dissent toward the Kashmir Valley, extremist quarters seek to export their domestic troubles. Open rallies by Lashkar‑e‑Taiba leaders, brazenly threatening India, underline the urgency of recognizing this attack as part of a broader campaign of proxy aggression.
Our response must be two‑fold: uncompromising security measures against terror, and an equally vigorous defense of communal harmony to defeat Pak designs. Security forces have already intensified surveillance, and intelligence agencies must relentlessly track and dismantle the networks that spawned this murderous plot. Law enforcement cannot rest until every culprit—local or foreign—faces justice.
Crucially, we must rebut the “two‑nation” doctrine with the force of historical truth: Jammu & Kashmir, the only Muslim‑majority state in 1947, rejected partition and chose to remain part of India. Our unity is not a fragile veneer but a living reality, woven through centuries of shared customs, festivals, and values. In the face of those who would divide us, every Indian—irrespective of faith—must reaffirm that our bond is stronger than any ideology of hate.
The media bears a special responsibility amid Pak designs to divide India on further religious lines. In these fraught hours, it must resist sensationalism and the corrosive pull of communal narratives. Instead, it should spotlight stories of intercommunal solidarity. Responsible reporting will serve as a powerful antidote to the despair sown by terrorists.
As we mourn the precious lives lost on those once‑serene slopes, let us honor their memory through resolute unity. Let us show that no act of terror, however brutal, can extinguish our shared humanity. May the emerald meadows of Pahalgam ring again with joyous footsteps, and may India’s strength—born of its diversity—shine all the more brightly in the face of darkness.
