Siddharth N/New Delhi

On Tuesday, June 8, users took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express bold sentiments against instigated terror and condemn Pakistan’s “proxy war” using Kashmir as its guise to advance its territorial warfare on Indian soil.

This was a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter) in India.

They were protesting against the romanticisation of terrorism that plagued Kashmir for nearly three decades and caused bloodshed and distress.

In a video going viral, students are seen marching in the streets of Srinagar in protest against violence, specifically referencing the Pahalgam incident. This video has been taken from news coverage footage from around the time of the attack on April 22, 2025. 

Gone are the days when Pak could brainwash Kashmir’s youth
Today’s generation stands tall with resilience & purpose#VoicesOfKashmir are rising louder than ever-demanding dignity,peace & progress
Time to #EndPakSponsoredTerror#YouthAgainstTerror @yajnshri @RShahzaddk@Ieshan_W pic.twitter.com/ZW5NHUQpNA

— ashrafmohamad (@ashrafmoha39026) July 8, 2025

Such strong voicing against violence is evidence of the fact that conflict is far from the wishes of millions of Kashmiris. Such an event, be it on social media or actively on the ground in the form of a loud protest for peace, is significant as a development for the tainted narrative that the region has suffered from due to terrorism.

Another narrative that emerged from the same youths of Kashmir is a strong condemnation of Pakistan’s narrativization of militancy and terrorism as a form of violent resistance. It is a voice from within that reaches out now to the rest of the country, and the world, of the saturation from the death of innocent children, women, and men for a war that is not their own but has been propagated as such.

“We strongly condemn this terrible act that was committed the day before yesterday. And we just want to say that terrorism has no religion, and we as common Kashmiris stand for peace and will always stand for peace. This is all, and we strongly condemn this act that has been done. We are very sorry for this. This doesn’t represent Kashmir, and this doesn’t represent us,” said a young woman seen in the video in the protest march.

Another young woman from a government college said to ANI, “We will only say this to whoever did this. It was better for him to have killed us Kashmiris before he did this to those who were killed, because in doing this, he has killed Kashmir’s humanity.” She continued saying, “Our Quran says this, ‘the murder of one man is the murder of all of mankind.’ Whoever did this has done great wrong, and that is all I have to say.”

Nine years ago, Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant who used social media to challenge the security forces, was killed by the Army.

This campaign marks the DA of Burhan Wani, 2016 Rejecting Pakistans terror agenda, Kashmiri youth are forging a path of peace, progress and selfdetermination.#EndPakSponsoredTerror #YouthAgainstTerror #VoicesOfKashmir5m#EndPakSponsoredTerror#YouthAgainstTerror#VoicesOfKashmir pic.twitter.com/jfxeJl12wY

— zubed khan (@zubedkhan195022) July 8, 2025

Referring to the past practice, many users on X have expressed their voice against the commemoration of such a figure.

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“Pak-sponsored terror ruined generations in Kashmir. But not anymore. The silence of fear is turning into voices of hope. Kashmiri youth are reclaiming their destiny & strongly rejecting terror.” Said a user, “This campaign marks the DA (death anniversary) of Burhan Wani, 2016. Rejecting Pakistan’s terror agenda, Kashmiri youth are forging a path of peace, progress, and self-determination,” said another.