Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor and societal impact

Hindustan Times

13-05-2025

Terrorism, the scourge of modern society was used by Pakistan yet again when it killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam, in Kashmir, India. Besides terrorism being a dastardly act in itself, what stood out was the religious profiling of the tourists, and confirmation of whether or not they were Muslims, before killing them in cold blood, if they were not. While Pakistan has always been a State sponsor of terrorism, two other points stand out here. The first important point that can be seen in the terrorists' actions and statements was a deliberate message aimed at creating fear and division. The attack was designed to undermine the return of normalcy to Kashmir as well as to provoke communal discord across India. The inhuman execution style, with headshots and public humiliation, was to traumatise the survivors and to send a message of religious intolerance.
The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), which is a proxy of the Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Claims of the TRF on Telegram revealed their opposition to India's policies, specifically in the granting of residency permits to non-Kashmiris, after the repeal of Article 370, and the terrorist group framed the attack as resistance to their perceived demographic changes in the region. The message behind the dastardly terrorist attacks were thus both a warning to non-Muslims visiting Kashmir as well as a challenge to India's governance. Increasing tourism, as a sign of normalcy in Kashmir, is a threat to separatist narratives. Thus, by killing non-Muslims, the attempt was to scare away tourists and to disrupt the region's economy. The TRF's emergence as a new group (it was created in 2019), despite its LeT links is a well-planned strategy to obscure Pakistan's direct involvement.
The terrorist attack, however, fell short in fulfilling its objectives of widespread unrest, given that several Kashmiri Muslims openly expressed solidarity with the victims and expressed anger and rage at the terrorist attack. The Indian government outmanoeuvered the TRF's goals of stoking communal tensions by swiftly condemning the attack, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and foreign secretary Vikram Misri stated that the attack was a barbaric attempt to undermine normalcy and to provoke communal discord. The government thus pre-empted narratives that could be used to fuel religious tensions. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian leaders also jointly issued statements to condemn the terrorist attack. Several acts of humanity from the Kashmiri Muslims in helping and sheltering non-Muslims were widely amplified through media and through official channels, to showcase Kashmir's unity with the rest of India. Public demonstrations, candlelight vigils, and interfaith prayers reinforced the message that Kashmiris reject the ideology of the terrorists. Events like the Bharat Ekta march emphasized national unity over religious fissures. A laudable step from the Indian government was the crack down on inflammatory posts on platforms like X, which attempted to incite anti-Muslim sentiments, and the government's cyber units worked to flag and remove divisive content.
Finally, India launched Operation Sindoor that targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and neutralised key TRF and LeT operatives. India displayed the resolve to fight back terrorism, which intends to fracture India on communal lines. Before Operation Sindoor was launched, tourists had even started visiting Kashmir again, reposing their faith in the increased security for tourists and religious sites, and defeating fear-driven communal segregation. Inclusivity over religious fissures regained the upper hand. The communication of the details of Operation Sindoor to the media, on May 7, 2025 were led by Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. This was also a direct sign that India stands united against terrorism and against all attempts to fracture India on communal lines. Local leaders, including Omar Abdullah have championed inclusive growth, ensuring that every Kashmiri benefits from its economic resurgence.
Due to the ongoing Operation Sindoor to root out cross-border terrorism, emergency measures have been instituted and can be expected to stay for some more time. On May 10, after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations called India's Director General of Military Operations to halt military actions across land, air, and sea, it was decided that there would be no further escalation from either side. While normalcy is yet to return, despite the announcement of preventing escalation, Pakistan has reportedly violated the verbal agreement by firing across the Line of Control, as a result of which, emergency preparations in India remain, as they were before the announcement of the verbal agreement between the two sides to cease firing. India, as exemplified in all its responses, be it at the societal level or through Operation Sindoor, remains united, and has defeated the terrorists and the terrorism supporting State's hopes of dividing India on communal lines.
This article is authored by Sriparna Pathak, professor, China Studies and International Relations, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.