‘Pakistan Repeatedly Demeans, Defames Islam; Indian Army Must Hit Back Decisively’
Dr Ehasan Hasan, Assistant Professor of Urdu in Benaras Hindu University, says that the time has come to give a body-blow to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. His views:
The attack on tourists in Pahalgam reminded us of the attack by a terrorist organization called Al Shabab at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya in 2016. During this attack also, the terrorists killed all those who could not recite kalma to prove their allegiance. The terrorists did the same in Pahalgam too. They asked people about their religious identity and asked them to recite kalma and even made some people remove their clothes to confirm their identity.
Innocent and unarmed men were shot in front of their wives and children A Hindu professor from Assam was saved because he was able to recite the kalma. How can a human do this to a fellow human being!
The incident also reflects the core reality of the mindset of all those who are involved in this kind of gruesome acts across the world: to prove themselves as the superior and every other as inferior, even unsuitable to live on this beautiful palnet.
A glaring proof of Pakistan’s involvement in this act of terror is the context of the recent statement by Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, in which he had said that Muslims are different from Hindus. He said that “our thoughts, beliefs, culture etc. are all different” from Hindus, in a clear expression of inherent hatred towards Hindus and India. Within a week of this hate speech, the attack took place in Pahalgam. This cannot be mere coincidence. This dog-whistle automatically exposes Pakistan’s ill intentions substantial evidence to reduce India down to ashes.
What we could make out, as citizens of India is: this incident took place because of the assembly elections that were held peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir, in which a large number of people participated. Also, after the removal of Article 370, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was becoming normal and a large number of tourists were reaching there bringing tourism in the region back on track. Obviously, this was an eyesore to Pakistan and it was itching to turn the clock back to the dark days.
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Pakistani army was also troubled by its various internal problems and was becoming unpopular. Recently, the hijacking of a Pakistani train by Baloch fighters caused great embarrassment to their army and there are reasons to believe that the Pakistani generals scripted the Pahalgam attack to divert the attention of their people and create an environment of fear and chaos in their country. This is a tested formula for Pakistani generals.
India has almost the same Muslim population as Pakistan, where about 97 percent of the population is Muslim. If there is a terrorist incident in which people are killed for not being able to recite kalma, then it hurts the image of Islam. Islam is a religion which says ‘Lakum Deenukum Wale Yadeen’ (your religion is with you and mine iswith me). The Pahalgam incident in a way has attacked the basic tenets of Islam. The terrorist incident clearly wanted to rupture the Indian fabric and trigger a conflict between two communities of the counrty.
India and Indians have however defeated this notion by standing united amid this tragic moment; this is proved by the people of Kashmir and the rest of the country by raising their voice and action against terrorism. It is the responsibility of both the communities and their leaders to ensure that no hatred grows between Hindus and Muslims. And also the government and the army settle the matter once and for all conclusively with the wily neighbour.
