Camera: Sumit Badola
Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj
The attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on 14 February showed us enemies other than Pakistan, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Masood Azhar – fake news.
Factory of Lies
Fake news propagated to such an extent that CRPF had to issue an advisory stating “It has been noticed that on social media some miscreants are trying to circulate fake pictures of body parts of our martyrs to invoke hatred while we stand united.”
Those who run the fake news factory have used everyone from PM Modi to Rahul Gandhi, from martyred soldiers to their families. By mocking this sacrifice on social media, people are spreading hate.
Promoting Hate Against Kashmiris
Post the attack, there was a very unusual trend. While our hatred should have been directed at the terrorists who took the lives of our CRPF jawans, and those who inspire such acts of terrorism, we targeted innocent Kashmiris instead – residing in different parts of the country for employment and education.
From Dehradun to Haryana, from Bihar to Bengal, there was news of assault on Kashmiris.
Dehradun’s Alpine College of Management and Baba Farid Institute of Technology have decided not to admit any Kashmiris from the next academic session.
So much so that the Supreme Court had to intervene. The SC issued a notice to the Centre and 11 states for their response on a plea that sought its intervention to prevent attacks on Kashmiri students in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.
Politicians Adding Fuel
Let’s believe that hate on social media was being spread by a few miscreants, but the situation went out of hand even when politicians got involved.
Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy went to the extent of giving a call to boycott all Kashmiris and Kashmir. He tweeted saying, “Don’t visit Kashmir,don’t go to Amarnath for the next 2 years. Don’t buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri.”
The governor of one state of the country is appealing for the boycott of another state of the country. Mr Governor, this fundamentalist thinking does not suit someone who has undertaken a duty on the oath of the Constitution. Even if your Twitter bio reads “Right-wing Hindu socio-political thinker”, you are a state governor first. You took an oath to protect the unity and integrity of the country. Would such statements not give a license to the self-acclaimed ‘nationalist’ and ‘patriotic’ elements to further misbehave with Kashmiris? Will this not encourage terrorism?
In the Storm of Hate, Why Would the Flag-Bearers of Politics Be Left Behind?
Meet Gujarat’s BJP leader and spokesperson Bharat Pandya. As per a report in The Indian Express, referring to the Pulwama attack, Pandya said, “Turn nationalistic wave into votes.”
My question is, who is distributing the license to misbehave with innocent Kashmiris?Those who distribute certificates of patriotism on WhatsApp are declared guilty. But what about these political leaders? Aren’t they equally responsible?
(This article was originally published on The Quint Hindi.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)