Shame & solidarity

The blood-soaked meadow of Pahalgam’s Baisaran is now etched in memory for a painful reason. The killing of at least 26 tourists in the terror attack has jolted the nation, piercing the soul of Kashmir. Among those killed were people from across the country, including small towns like Shivamogga in Karnataka. They had come to Kashmir for peaceful leisure. Their deaths underline that this tragedy is not just about Jammu and Kashmir but a national wound.

Significantly, amidst this anguish, something profound has emerged — a united cry of condemnation from the people of the Valley. For the first time in 35 years, the Kashmir valley observed a shutdown against a terror attack. On Wednesday, most business establishments were closed in Srinagar following a call for bandh. Loudspeakers appealed for solidarity and streets filled with people, expressing grief and outrage. “Hanging head in shame,” they echoed that this was a betrayal of Kashmir’s spirit of hospitality and peace.

The attack aims to reignite fear and stall the Valley’s hard-earned return to normalcy. With over 3.5 million tourists visiting J&K in 2024 and more than 70 per cent of livelihoods in places like Pahalgam linked to tourism, the region’s fragile recovery is at risk. Many locals who had taken loans to invest in tourism-related businesses face devastating losses as cancellations pour in. The state machinery — from Prime Minister Modi cutting short his foreign trip to Home Minister Shah’s immediate ground assessment — is rightly in overdrive. The immediate reaction has been to beef up security in the region. Even as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the attackers would soon see a “loud and clear response,” the authorities must also amplify the voices of the Valley that have rejected violence and chosen humanity.