Uzma Khatoon

The terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 which claimed 26 lives and left many tourists injured has shaken the nation. The gruesome attack involved terrorists targeting Hindus after confirming their identities by asking for their names and religion, was not just an assault on innocents but a calculated attempt to fracture India’s unity and secular ethos.

The attackers singling out victims based on religion was a sinister strategy to ignite communal hatred. They not only wanted to kill Indians but also sowed seeds of suspicion and resentment among Hindus toward Muslims, especially the Kashmiris. Thus the terrorists wanted to provoke a cycle of hatred and retaliation, hoping to destabilize the peace and pluralism that define India.

However, the nation’s response was remarkable maturity and in favour of unity. Instead of succumbing to the terrorists’ designs, people across India showed restraint, with no major communal clashes or acts of revenge reported. This collective wisdom reflects that the real victory over terrorism lies not just in punishing the perpetrators but in denying them their goal of dividing the country.

In this unity narrative, the voice of Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the attack was the loudest. The couple was on their honeymoon in Kashmir when the terrorists wreaked havoc on her. Himanshi made an emotional appeal to the nation: “We don’t want people going against Muslims or Kashmiris. We want peace and only peace. Of course, we want justice, but the government must take precise steps against specifically those who did us wrong”.

Her appeal askin the public not to spread hatred or seek reprisal against a community and rather seek justice, resonated across India.

Kashmiri women hold a candle light vigil in memory of victims of Pahalgam terrorist strike

Himanshi’s statement comes at a time when some reports of backlash against Muslims and Kashmiris - incidents of violence and discrimination - were coming in from different parts of India. Her call for peace and justice, not hate, has become a cry of the resilience and compassion that India aspires to uphold.

Political leaders from across the spectrum have also united in condemning the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress President MallikarjunKharge, and leaders from all major parties have expressed solidarity with the victims and reaffirmed the nation’s resolve against terrorism. At an all-party meeting, leaders assured the government of their full support in the fight against terrorism and emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and unity. The Congress Working Committee, in a special resolution, stated, “This is not a time for politics but a moment that calls for unity, strength, and national resolve. We must rise above partisan divides and send out an unambiguous message that India stands together and will not be broken”.

For the Muslim community, especially in Kashmir, this is also a moment of introspection and assertion. Pakistani elements will continue to misuse religion to push their agenda. But Indian Muslims must reiterate loudly about their loyalty to their country, not out of pressure, but from conviction. They are not representatives of Pakistan; they are sons and daughters of this soil. It is their country that is under attack.

It is crucial to recognize that the attack’s victims included both Hindus and Muslims. Local Muslims, including a pony operator who died trying to save others, were among those killed, underscoring that terrorism spares no one and that its victims come from all backgrounds.

The Pahalgam incident is a stark reminder that the real battle is not only against guns and bombs but also against the narratives that seek to divide. The responsibility to nurture harmony and reject hate lies with every citizen, leader, and institution. The unified and compassionate response from the widow of a slain officer, the outpouring of support from leaders across party lines, and the solidarity shown by people of all faiths are the clearest repudiation of the terrorists’ aims.

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The Pahalgam attack was not just a crime — it was a test. A test of our strength, our patience, and our values. Terrorism tried to tear us apart, but the people of India stood together. The terrorists wanted headlines of hate; what they got was a story of unity. This is the spirit of India — a nation where a Muslim dies saving a Hindu tourist, where Hindus mourn Muslim victims, and where peace is not a slogan but a shared goal.

Let this be our message to the world: we are Indians first, and nothing — not terror, not propaganda, not hatred — can change that.

Dr.Uzma Khatoon has taught at the Aligarh Muslim University.