There is NOTHING in the world that can justify a terrorist attack on innocent unarmed civilians. It only shows the cowardly nature of such evil people and the ones who are managing and financing them.

It is understandable and perhaps justified to blame Pakistan for this even though I have less trust in the judgment without investigation which has been announced by Indian media, right wing sites and even the Indian government.

Yet the history of the world repeates time and again- Hate begets hate.

I understand the fanatics amongst the Muslim community in Pakistan and the Pakistan military which has controlled the local population by direct or indirect rule have a clear reason to work to destabilize Kashmir at all times. They may rightly so been behind this yet another attack to threaten India once again. Let true investigation reveal the truth in times to come.

Yet we all should be aware that Kashmir at one time was a peaceful state despite pressures from Pakistan as locals provided full support to the Indian government. Under multiple Congress regimes before the nineties, it enjoyed peace and calm despite various attempts by Pakistan to destabilize India.

What has changed in the last few decades in India?

Greater polarization amongst communities and the politics of religion to gain hold over the masses with the virus being made to spread in length and breadth of the country.

The virus has spread so much so that propaganda has become truth, anti Muslim hate being justified, brewed and stroked by entire neighborhoods, media, politicians, administration and even at times by the judiciary in India and similarly the same happening against Hindus and also against India in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It also stroked fear, hate and militancy amongst the youth of the only Muslim state in India which too felt specifically targeted whenever the Hindutava right wing brew further hate.

Earlier we used to say that the general masses were still friendly to each other and today even that attitude sees a sea change.

Pakistan has become a failed religious state drifting into a darker and darker abyss but what worries me as a person of Indian origin is that India is desperately trying to follow that path into becoming a militant Hindu state under the draconian influence of the Hindutava right wing, in power or otherwise.

Whenever such terrorist attacks happen, the government does not even feel obliged for a second to consider intelligence failure or security lapses but immediately USES the “OPPORTUNITY” to build up hate and rhetoric and stigmstizing communities outside and in India.

Today the entire nation including the lame and scared opposition which fears Hindu backlash if they even utter a word of criticism is NOT even willing to QUESTION government on GOVERNANCE but is ready and willing to toe the official line as if the very person and the regime who is responsible for lighting fire and make it spread will guide them to the promised land of peace and tranquility!

Not ONE opposition leader including Rahul Gandhi in the so labelled “Abhay Mudra” is asking the right questions which need to be asked to Modi lest the right wing further demonizes them amongst the masses.

Ideology, truth and the power that being a people’s representative is being shunned as fear and real politic rules the heart of the leaders.

As a concerned person of Indian origin, I still have questions to be asked and perhaps I speak on behalf of many muted citizens of India too-

1. Why has anti Muslim hate being used as a tool to rule in India instead of real governance and how was it assumed that it would not have a counter effect on fanatics either side of the border?

2. Why is Modi and his entourage even in Bihar the day after in yet another election rally instead of being in Kashmir or even in Delhi or the vicinity meeting victims? Is it not a clear and direct attempt to once again ENCASH the tragedy and build yet another electoral victory on outrage?

3. What kind of messages will go the international community and world organizations which enabled treaties when India acts as yet another rogue nation and cancels important treaties unilaterally? Especially when even a façade of an investigation is not complete? Or not even started for all we know as Modi very well knows that the Indian public will consider his every word as one from the Holy gospel!

4. What steps are being taken to protect the Indian Muslims and especially Kashmiri Muslims from being targeted and harmed by the Hindutava right wing in the aftermath of this incidence when Modi clearly knows that they are not to blame? Why should the Chief Minister of Kashmir speak to protect Kashmiris living in other parts of India from harm and why has the Prime Minister himself, all the Chief Ministers and even the opposition has NOT spoken as yet knowing fully well that the right wing has already started targeting this scared population?

5. Does Modi/BJP/RSS actually considers that by continuously targeting and instilling a fear in the minorities by bringing draconian laws and state action to win over Hindu vote, are they not building a recipe for disaster internally?

6. Last but not the least, by focusing on such a rhetoric are they not alienating our immediate neighbors and do they feel that any lasting peace can be expected with such heated relationships? Or does India feel now that with Israel and USA as the new backers besides having Russia covering their back at all times, there is no harm in stepping up the rhetoric and going ballistic?

I understand that my Indian friends and the ones of Indian origin living outside may believe in the propaganda being spread that standing united at this time means being silent and not speaking out against the real issues that has caused this incidence or finding long lasting solutions.

However I speak from a deep love for India and would hope that some others- ordinary citizens, activists, politicians, judiciary, media will take this government to task for all the policies and failures that has led to this mass murder.

We owe atleast this much to the lives of the innocents lost!