Ever since the Pahalgam terrorist attack took place and 26 innocent lives were lost, local Kashmiri people have been facing a lot of backlash, with some people even going to the extent of accusing them of facilitating the April 22 attack.
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00:00These terrorists managed to enter the camp. Fortunately, they were neutralized. Unfortunately, at a very high cost.
00:22This was a big column of CRPF vehicles, a convoy that was traveling in.
00:52The tranquil waters of the Dal Lake here in Srinagar, can often conceal the turbulence.
01:12The sense of calmness has always coexisted uneasily with the trigger of the gun. As the horrific terror attack in Baisaran has shown, it doesn't take much to rip apart the veneer of normalcy here in the Kashmir Valley.
01:40As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, the big question though is, will Baisaran 2025 prove to be a turning point?
01:50Will the voices echoing across this valley, calling for change, saying enough is enough and not in my name become a propellant for transformation for a new Kashmir?
02:04Will this be another false dawn or will the valley fight back? That's what we want to find out. Join us on this India Today special.
02:14If we don't have humility to each other, then which kind of people we are, which kinds of humans we are?
02:26We want to find out. We want to find out. We want to find out.
02:30But the people who are in the Kashmir will be prepared.
02:34And the problem is not.
02:35There is no one who is happy in Kashmir for people.
02:38We touch with tourists. No one who is happy.
02:42We are targeting Kashmir.
02:44Our business was at this time.
02:46And it was zero. There is a curve like a curve in Bilboad.
02:49We want to find out without fear, without fear.
02:55We are fed up with violence and, you know, disturbances and all other things that follow violence.
03:03So people want to live a normal life.
03:05Kashmiris are fed up, really fed up with the situation they have been enduring for the last many decades.
03:12This time you have seen yourself, it was unprecedented on the part of Kashmiris to come out openly on the roads.
03:20We will fight back and we will enjoy. Kashmiris for the enjoyment, not for the other things.
03:36Your houseboat doing well or not?
03:38Well, at the moment everything is suspended.
03:40Everything is suspended?
03:42Yes.
03:43After Baisaran, you have completely suspended all your business?
03:45I have been wiped out.
03:46You have been wiped out?
03:47Wiped up the whole business.
03:49You all were booked up till June end.
03:51June end and still Kyrgyz, we are coming for July, August for tracking and everything also.
03:56And now?
03:57Now it is all cancellations.
03:59I want to ask both of you this question.
04:01This is what normalcy has returned.
04:04Do you think normalcy had returned?
04:05Did it require one terror strike to suddenly everybody say, where is the normalcy?
04:09The question is why it happened?
04:12That's the most important question.
04:14Why do you think it happened?
04:15Well,
04:16Because Pakistan has been promoting terror here for 30 years.
04:19It has been, but what we have to do?
04:22We have to strike them back.
04:24Kashmiris want peace, love, hospitality, to give the people hostility over here.
04:28That's it.
04:29That's it.
04:30And this is what we have to try to do Hindu and Muslim.
04:34This is very unfortunate.
04:36That's not our culture.
04:38India is a mix of all cultures, creeds, religions and all.
04:44Right?
04:45That's it.
04:46Right?
04:47That's it.
04:48Right?
04:49That's what we will do.
04:50That's what we will do.
04:51That's what we will do.
04:52We will do better.
04:53This is why we have to do better life in our 35 years.
04:55How we can do it in Kashmir.
04:56We can do tourism in Kashmir and get a way from some way.
04:58To give them to them, and to give them away from here.
05:00That's our point.
05:01So, Baisaran will not stop you.
05:02point so by saran will not stop you no it ne joe hain 90s may 91 may 92 may to be
05:08hum nay on kara government ka support tourism ka locals are doing best to abhi
05:13bhe or mehnat karein ka media ka bismayrool hum logun ko chahiye
05:16some logun ka support chahiye and that's what we will go through again
05:19should come very positive we don't have any discrimination here we are one
05:23hindu muslim sikh it there we are one we are all one we have to work for the
05:28betterment of kishmi for the lives of kishmi the future of kishmi
05:31and and that's the beauty of kishmi thank you very much
05:36now you know what a real houseboat looks like ah special tea has been prepared so
05:44where have you come from i'm from south africa terror attack was more than just
05:49a little terror attack you know what i didn't tell my wife about it because i
05:52knew if i did tell her she wouldn't come so i kept it quiet until we came here and
05:56then i told her but we've moved around everywhere and we've had we felt nothing
06:00but safe the people are absolutely hospitable they're loving they're kind
06:05they're helpful and i have no fear where i come from in south africa i can't walk
06:09around at night here i'm walking around freely with my wife and we don't even turn
06:14around to look at your wife who's recording it but she doesn't boy hello ma'am how are you
06:19you can't say no hi have you have you enjoyed being in kashmi oh it's one of the most beautiful
06:26places in the entire world really it's so scenic the people are hospitable they're courteous
06:33they're friendly they're polite no good good to hear inshallah i'll come again you'll come
06:38again okay good as you can see you've got to fight fear by looking at it in the face okay now one of the
06:51key challenges therefore for kashmir after by saran is to get the tourists back because tourism has become
06:59a lifeline for the kashmir economy today i'm joined by a group of hotel operators tourists operators to tell
07:06me how that's going to happen thank you all very much first for joining me thank you thank you thank
07:13you and share our gloom what has happened actually you're saying gloom is the gloom because business
07:21is down or gloom is because my son we are actually heartfelt condolence to the families and this is
07:28not kashmir what has happened there so what has shaken you is the fact that tourists have been innocent
07:34tourists have been targeted honeymoon unfortunately 26 families from different parts of our country
07:39unfortunately they will never forget kashmir their families will never forget kashmir it's a big blot
07:45on kashmiri and we take it very seriously and we are ashamed of it but in the end we it's not in
07:50our hands and this is shared by all of you each and every one of you saying this is about insaniyet
07:55it's not about business it's not about business it's not about business it is just insaniyet of humanitarian
08:06first time yahaan per hartaal hua hai because of killings this is history has become this
08:12in downtown in downtown complete downtown jammu was once shahri khas was but even kargil and ladakh people
08:27joined this you had the palgam hoteliers association you all were investing big time in hotel first of all
08:34it's a very unfortunate event and inhuman event has taken place there are around say two thousand rooms
08:40coming up in palgam and it will be a big blow to those people they have taken loans they have put
08:45in there every job you make my yoga lifetime man they have put in there it's half complete i think so
08:51this was terrorism trying to in one way destroy kashmir's economy in the last 35 years you must have
08:57not seen people coming on the roads not not for being apologetic or ashamed i must say we are in anger
09:04we are as angry as any citizen of this country because these are our fellow countrymen we share
09:10the same pain and more so over there are so many young entrepreneurs that had been investing a lot
09:16people coming from uh different parts of the world back home to invest an attempt was made to make it
09:21hindu versus muslim and innocent hindus were killed that you know has led to fear in different parts you
09:27have a lot of maharashtians gujaratis coming here and you know uh but it was the kashmiris the poni
09:33wala the dandi wala the taxi wala who got them from the bystand and helped them to the hospital so
09:39there are two you know there are also reports that some locals could have been involved in helping the
09:42terrorists you're very clear whoever is involved has to be given the maximum punishment right there is
09:47no sympathy at all no one has any sympathy anymore no sympathy at all no none whatsoever violence is not
09:54now accepted in kashmir violence you're saying violence will not be accepted in kashmir yes
09:59because for 35 years kashmir has been suffered a lot suffered a lot because of this violence
10:04okay what's the way forward you know y'all are hoteliers y'all have invested the economy of kashmir
10:10depends on them what's the way forward do you see kuch to light hacking at the end of the tunnel yeah
10:16of course we have a full faith on government of india we have a full trust on them has had the last five
10:23years have the last five years given a sense of normalcy yeh bar bar ka normalcy normalcy are
10:28here tourism benefited from peace right of course it benefited it benefited you know so what you want
10:33the government of india to do now we have complete faith and trust on them they will help us to revive
10:39the tourism we have to gain the faith we have to gain the trust yes tourism is not only about the
10:45economics of it it is a bridge between the kashmiri people and the rest of the country that's a good
10:50point so we we we are not asking for tourists to come back just just for the economics of it but
10:56this is the bridge that can connects kashmiris with the rest of the country that alienation factor will
11:02be gone if yes the moment people come people come here from different states and then we meet them and
11:06there are cultural uh you know they share their cultural differences but how do we overcome the fear
11:11factor log toh dare huyen how do you overcome fear this is what the terrorists want that is why they
11:18separated the people because they want to dilute the social fabric of this country make it hindu
11:22muslim make it kashmiris that was their job terrorists had this job to dilute this but every i
11:30would request from this medium to every citizen of this country kashmir is yours and it is your time
11:36now to prove that kashmir is yours not only kashmir but kashmiris are yours so either way the way to
11:41defeat terror is actually to come to kashmir and celebrate what kashmir is about right atul kulkarni
11:48the maharashtran actor was here last week a few days ago he has spoken out would you like all
11:53celebrities people of influence to come to kashmir and that's the way to defeat terror right absolutely
11:58people should come across i mean even the hollywood uh they should come to this place and tell rest of
12:04the india this kashmir is safe and i'll tell you rajli one thing kashmir is crown of india i mean there
12:10are people who want to you know disturb this peace so we want to tell every indian you come to this
12:16place and defeat those elements who want to disturb the peace our hand kashmir mr rajdi my aapko
12:20each is bolonga other india ke logun ko chai agar das ko ana chai abso ko ana chai if they want to
12:27beat terrorism they have to come but how will you give them that sense of security here for them
12:32what do you say we are on the road how do you how every kashmiri woman man is on the roads for the
12:38people of india how will you fight terror though you see these terrorists have had the gun and in
12:44the past they have defeated they have tried to defeat civil society by fear that's their job
12:51you're saying defeat fear by coming here in larger numbers if there was any sympathy at
12:56all for militancy or it's gone zero minus everybody is opposite them now enough is enough
13:03of america and we are all indian for how many days you have been here for two days for two days what
13:11do you find sir should the tourists come here or not i am very clear sir the best way and i'm going to say
13:16that to the camera yes i believe the best way to defeat the terror factory is to show them that there is
13:23no fear which is why tourists should come to kashmir in even greater numbers and show them that we are not
13:30afraid of you that's that's the way out right sayena okay good i hope that i hope that all our
13:39celebrities out there in particular will become brand ambassadors for this naya kashmir and i hope
13:44that your industry grows further how much employment do you provide do you have any figure how many people
13:51are employed in kashmir highest employment generation is tourism tourism directly and
14:00indirectly 30 lakh people three lakh directly more than 30 lakh indirectly in kashmir in a population of
14:05about 80 lakhs exactly are connected with tourism i'm going to move from here to another part of
14:12shrinagar one that over the years has proven to be a little bit more contentious
14:32our next stop here in shrinagar is at the jama masjid in downtown shrinagar where the friday namaz
14:40is being recited remember downtown shrinagar has been seen as the hub of separatist sentiment for
14:48years but last week after baisaran there was a two minute silence observed in memory of the victims of
14:56the terror attack and there were protests in downtown shrinagar as well against the attacks our times changing
15:03with the terrorists clearly having crossed a red line here in kashmir let's find out
15:09after baisaran after baisaran aaj mirviz ne bhi baat ki hai is iske baare me condemn kiya hai kya
15:18nisya jake baat ki yo haana ki hai ki baat ki hai ki baat ki baat ki baat ki baat kio baat ki hai
15:21We were a kind of humanity and all of these things are connected to one another.
15:27We are all connected to this matter.
15:29We are all connected.
15:31We are all connected to this country and this country.
15:34Today, every place has security.
15:36There is no much in this place.
15:38You are asking me.
15:40Security is not.
15:41Who is your enemy?
15:42What is he going to do?
15:44What is he going to do?
15:46What is he going to do?
15:47What is he going to do?
15:49Our Islam is a good thing. Our Islam is a good thing. Our Islam is a good thing.
15:54This is a good thing.
15:56It's a good thing.
15:59But it's a good thing.
16:01Have you tried this?
16:03Hindu Muslims are trying to destroy it?
16:06Hindu Muslims are not.
16:07Who should have done this?
16:09Who should have done this?
16:11If Pakistan is behind it?
16:14If there is a good thing, then we should have done this.
16:18If Pakistan is not a good thing, then we should have done this.
16:23The other thing is not a good thing.
16:26If we can kill this, that's not Islam.
16:29Islam doesn't know this.
16:31Has it been a good thing?
16:33Is it a good thing?
16:35We have been a good thing.
16:37We have been back in 2007.
16:39There is no one.
16:40It was not a bad thing.
16:42It was a bad thing.
16:43It was a bad thing.
16:45It was a bad thing.
16:47How did it happen?
16:48There is not a single Kashmiri who will support what has happened there.
16:51Not a single.
16:52You can see here.
16:53We are in Jamia Masjid.
16:54That's the center of Islam here.
16:56Right?
16:57You know Jamia Masjid.
16:58It's the oldest mosque.
16:59I can tell you with assurance.
17:01Not a single Kashmiri is with this incident.
17:04Whatever happened is really unfortunate.
17:06It's bad.
17:07We have to find the people who are responsible.
17:09And they should be punished.
17:10Whoever.
17:11Whether it is a...
17:12But not a single, single one Kashmiri baby also supports this.
17:15We are the only one.
17:16Our country is the only one.
17:19There are two.
17:20We are the only one.
17:21We want one.
17:22We want one.
17:23We want one.
17:24We want one.
17:25We want one.
17:26We want one.
17:27We want one.
17:28It's a common nature.
17:29Here we had two candlelight marches for these people.
17:31Okay.
17:32Because it's a huge candlelight march for this thing.
17:34How come this time?
17:35I had never seen these candlelight marches in the past.
17:37What happened this time that made you all come out on the street?
17:40Because for the past four or five years, there has been relatively calm.
17:45Businesses have been open.
17:47Everyone has earned well.
17:48So they wanted it to continue like that.
17:50The most of the people who have suffered are Kashmiris.
17:52Whether anybody says whatever.
17:53In the last 35 years.
17:55Obviously.
17:56In any disputed place in the world.
17:58It's the local people which suffer the most.
18:00Right.
18:01That's the main thing.
18:02Any disputed place in the world.
18:05Whether it's Palestine, Syria.
18:07The local people suffer the most.
18:09Obviously.
18:10Everybody wants peace sir.
18:11It's as simple as that.
18:12You ask anybody here.
18:13Everybody will tell you the same thing.
18:15Nobody wants hatred.
18:16Why are Kashmiri students who are studying outside being targeted.
18:19They are feeling insecure.
18:20For what?
18:21They have done nothing.
18:22Okay.
18:23That's a good point on which I'm going to.
18:25We are not able to.
18:26I'm going to go and meet Kashmiri students.
18:28Yeah sure.
18:29To find out.
18:30To meet the young how they feel.
18:31Yes.
18:32But it's good to hear your voices.
18:33I'm a student who studied abroad as well.
18:35London, Delhi.
18:36So I can tell you that you know it's the people from the land that suffer the most.
18:41Namaste.
18:42How a period.
18:43This is a word.
18:44Jahren is not.
18:45Yes.
18:46Sorry.
18:47The world has a differentισılar.
18:49I'm a different from Muslim as well as Islam is.
18:53But it's un handler in Islam.
18:54The truth of Islam is not 말му ers комна.
18:59We don't understand our person.
19:00What kind of man does it.
19:02ish ki himal nahi pakti.
19:32Scenic zero-point bridge here in Kashmir to talk to them.
19:36How are you, all of you?
19:38And I'm good to see so many young women also here.
19:42Otherwise, it's all very male-dominated in these shows.
19:45Good. So I'm going to start with you all.
19:47How do you see life after Baisaran?
19:49When you hear that tourists are leaving, there could be an Indo-Park conflict.
19:53Does that worry you, trouble you? How do you see it?
19:56Honestly, we feel like we're again at a risk of a potential war.
19:59And we don't want it.
20:00We have been disconnected from the world too many times to count beforehand.
20:04And we don't want it to happen again.
20:05Our futures are at stake.
20:06We are just normal students.
20:08We want a normal life.
20:09We don't want to be defined by the conflicts.
20:11We don't want to be defined by how we stood in these tough times.
20:14We want to be known by our capabilities, by our potentials, by our dreams.
20:18We want to be doctors.
20:20We are not...
20:20You want to be a doctor?
20:21No. Doctors, scientists, engineers, lawyers, everything.
20:24We are not just victims of political situations.
20:27We are dreamers. We are poets.
20:29We want...
20:30And we don't want another war.
20:32The internet gets cut off.
20:33And then we get disconnected from the rest of the world as if nobody even cares that we exist.
20:37And we don't want that to happen again.
20:39Every time there's something goes wrong, your internet gets shut down?
20:42Is that the first thing that happens?
20:44Yeah.
20:44So that's what you meant when you said you don't want to be disconnected from the rest of the world, right?
20:47From the rest of the world, yeah.
20:48So internet shut down is one problem you have every time there is any problem.
20:52What else troubles you?
20:54What...
20:54We are often seen as terrorists, victims of conflicts that are out of our...
21:00You are seen as a terrorist?
21:01Yeah. If you tell someone that I am a Kashmir, I am a Muslim, they are not going to see you for the human that you are.
21:06They are going to associate so many stereotypes with you.
21:09And you are going to have to apologize for things you didn't even have control over.
21:12Kashmiris don't want to apologize for things we highly condemn.
21:15And we don't want to be...
21:17Stand at the forefront of everything and get blamed for all of it.
21:20We had nothing to do with it.
21:22I found a next generation anchor.
21:24You speak so well.
21:25Very good.
21:26You are a potential debater of the future.
21:28But do you also feel like that?
21:29That every time there is a terror attack, you are being asked to prove your patriotism or loyalty.
21:34Do you feel that way?
21:35Yes.
21:35Yes, sir.
21:35We have to always prove that we do not associate with the terrorism that is happening in Kashmir.
21:40We always have to prove that we actually feel guilt.
21:44We feel sad for the lives that were lost.
21:46Like they do not think that a Kashmiri can be human.
21:49Because anybody would condemn what happened in Pahlgaam.
21:52And this is something which humanity stands for.
21:55Who asked you to prove your loyalty?
21:57Somebody asked you out there in...
21:59I mean, you are living here in the Kashmir Valley.
22:01How do you feel that you are being asked to prove your loyalty?
22:04Is it what you see on the net or in the media that makes you feel that way?
22:08Yes, sir.
22:08I have seen a lot of comments.
22:10They are telling us, you are actually with the terrorist itself.
22:16Where do you see these comments?
22:17On Instagram?
22:18On Facebook?
22:18On Instagram, there are X posts going around.
22:21And they are with your ideology that we have seen a lot of comments on X itself saying that Kashmir should be treated as Palestine.
22:31And it is something that we highly condemn.
22:33Like you are actually...
22:35Like where do we draw the line?
22:36What is the difference between the terrorists who killed in Pahlgaam and those people who think that we should be treated as Palestine?
22:41Right.
22:42Yes, young man.
22:42Rajdeep, sir, we feel to the people in India watching us, we are students and we highly condemn what happened.
22:50We unequivocally are against terrorism.
22:52But Indians, dear Indians, we are citizens of India.
22:55Please don't isolate us from your own country, from the country that we call our motherland, for the country that we have a passport of.
23:02Please don't take this dignity away from us.
23:06Please don't take away democracy from us.
23:08Please don't take away secularism for us.
23:10Please don't destroy our homes.
23:13For those who have left their homes 30 years ago and who have left their families, why does a grandmother need to clean glasses shattered?
23:21And six-year-old girl has her parents downstairs and books lying around when she wants to study and become a doctor.
23:29We are not in support of terrorism.
23:32But please don't divide us on the basis of Hindu and Muslim.
23:35Who is dividing you?
23:36Who is dividing you?
23:37Is it Instagram?
23:39Are you all watching too much of Instagram, I wonder?
23:41And Facebook.
23:42Is that influencing your lives?
23:43Yeah, I feel like social media has become an integral part.
23:47It is a digital world.
23:48I mean, we have siblings outside of Kashmir right now and they are scared for their lives.
23:53My brother, he is scared to leave his room in Delhi.
23:56We don't want that happening to them.
23:57Not when he did not have anything to do with it.
23:59He's just a normal human being with dreams to become an engineer.
24:02I don't want him to suffer the consequences of something he had nothing to do with.
24:05Okay, this is a young man who picked up my book recently.
24:09So he's one of my favorite guys.
24:11You picked up my election book.
24:13Your name is Moazim.
24:15And you're a law student here at Srinagar University.
24:17You just heard these comments.
24:19You've also studied in Delhi.
24:21You were at Jamia.
24:22Do you feel that in any way targeted after every terror attack?
24:26Sir, I believe what's critical to understand is that Kashmiri is this recent gruesome terror attack in Pahlgaam.
24:32Cutting across political, social, economic, religious lines, every Kashmiri condemned it.
24:37Every Kashmiri.
24:38What about the attempt being made to use this attack to try and create a Hindu-Muslim divide?
24:43It's not worked.
24:43People have stood.
24:45It's not worked.
24:46But there is always that fear that it could.
24:48Yes.
24:48I think that whoever is doing such attacks wants India to get dismantled because whatever the terror attack happened here,
25:01it's not those only 26 lives, innocent lives which suffered, but also the whole Kashmir.
25:08We stand with the people of our country.
25:12We are so humble.
25:13We are so generous.
25:14We don't see them as tourists.
25:15We see them as our own family members.
25:18Is the fear that you get economically and socially dislocated every time this happens?
25:25The economy goes down.
25:26Your future, your dreams are all shattered every time something like this happens.
25:30Is there that anger also?
25:32Enough is enough.
25:33It's always there.
25:34Every time something happens across India, across anywhere, any part of India, I would say,
25:39it's always the minority, especially the Muslims who are at stake.
25:42For example, in Kashmir, what happened, even though all the Kashmiri Muslims, the Kashmiri
25:46pundits, every single person, the Kashmiri Sikhs, all of us condemn what happened.
25:50We, in our religious books, all the religious books, it teaches us that one who kills a single
25:54person is as if he has killed the whole humanity.
25:55And one who saves one single life, it's as if he has saved the whole humanity.
25:58But the truth is that 30 years ago, Kashmiri pundits had to leave.
26:02I mean, I presume you have no Kashmiri pundit friends because most of them have left Kashmir.
26:06I mean, how do you respond to those who will turn back the clock and say, remember what
26:10happened to Kashmiri pundits?
26:11Why didn't Kashmir stand up for them?
26:14I think it's also important to realize, you know, given the kind of propaganda that is
26:17around us, that Kashmiri Muslims were neither that time comfortable with Kashmiri pundits
26:22leaving, nor they are today.
26:23I mean, we have people, we have families, who have been friends with our family since
26:28decades ago.
26:28And nobody wanted Kashmiri pundits to leave.
26:30We still tell them, you know, it's your place, come back, it's your home.
26:33Don't go.
26:34But there is fear.
26:35Is there a fear factor that prevents you all from sometimes speaking out?
26:38I meet many Kashmiris who say, sir, I don't want to speak out on camera.
26:42What is the fear?
26:43Is it the fear of the security forces?
26:45Is it the fear of militants?
26:46Who is the fear?
26:47It's the fear of every single minority right now in India.
26:50We are not just Kashmiris.
26:52If we look at, recently there was an attack on a person who, they weren't even Muslim.
26:56They were just someone who spoke against the security lapse that happened in Pahlgaam.
27:00But still, they were detained.
27:01This happened in Uttar Pradesh and this happened two days ago.
27:03So, this is the fear that every Kashmiri has been facing since 2019.
27:07Since 2019.
27:08But what's the fear here?
27:09Within the valley, what's the fear?
27:10Is it that, you know, someone will come, the security forces will check you?
27:14What is the fear you all have?
27:15It's always, I mean, I would say that every Kashmiri is afraid to speak because it is how they have
27:20been programmed since birth.
27:21I mean, I as a kid, I remember, I just don't want to be a kid again who is shutting the
27:26windows and doors of a house just so that tear gas won't come in and I won't burn, my
27:30throat won't burn, I won't be suffocated.
27:32And honestly, that is the fear that has been instilled in us.
27:35And obviously, any normal human being would be afraid to speak up against anything.
27:40But there are the images of stone pelting, of youngsters throwing stones at security forces.
27:46All these images reinforce, you know, that has changed.
27:50A lot has changed.
27:51You can see us.
27:51You all find even this concept of militancy unacceptable.
27:55Yes, everything has changed.
27:57Violence is unacceptable of any kind.
27:59Extremism is unacceptable.
28:00Of any kind.
28:01Fanaticism is unacceptable of any kind.
28:04It is not a religious terrorism, but when fanaticism and extremism join hands, you find
28:09what happened, unfortunately, in Baisaran.
28:11And we are against it.
28:13We stand united with the people of the country.
28:15If you spoke that in a public place, you think people in Kashmir would support you today?
28:19Yes.
28:20Absolutely.
28:20Yes.
28:21If you spoke in a voice.
28:22In every district of Kashmir, in every city of Kashmir, in every gully of Kashmir,
28:27people are supporting us when we speak against violence and terrorism because this is not
28:32acceptable at any point.
28:33There is no fear?
28:34Is there a fear, though?
28:36Many years ago, I used to find a fear factor.
28:38Is that fear factor still there?
28:39No, it's not there.
28:40Is it much less?
28:42I would say it's not there anymore, especially in this case.
28:45For example, we are here on Zero Beach.
28:46If you go from the other gate to the other and ask every single person here, he will unequivocally
28:51condemn what happened in Baisaran without a fear of any repercussions or any thing.
28:56If you want to say that Pakistan, if Pakistan is behind Baisaran, there should be tough action
29:01against Pakistan, people would have no problem with that anymore.
29:05No.
29:06Say using the P word, using a P word is not a problem anymore.
29:10No.
29:10Without a second thought.
29:11Without a second thought.
29:12Okay, I want to ask you all about your futures.
29:15You just mentioned about how you have all these dreams.
29:17You dream to be a lawyer?
29:18Yeah.
29:19That's the plan.
29:19Here in Srinagar?
29:21Do you believe that your future lies in Srinagar?
29:24Or would you like to have to go outside Srinagar in a way to make a career?
29:29Sir, I think it's perfectly fine if a person does want to go outside other parts of the
29:33country.
29:34But I believe that you need to also contribute back to your place.
29:37So I would stick to it.
29:39And you think the way to do that is to have complete peace, right?
29:42Because everybody tells me normalcy.
29:44What is the definition of normalcy for a Kashmiri?
29:46Normalcy would be the foundation of your entire being peace.
29:54Normalcy won't be forcing resilience on you.
29:56Resilience should be a choice.
29:58We shouldn't be forced to be resilient ever since we were born.
30:01It is...
30:01You should be fear.
30:02You know, your mind should be without fear, right?
30:04As Tagore said, that's your definition of normalcy.
30:07Is your mind without fear in Kashmir?
30:10Are you feeling...
30:11Not really.
30:12Not really.
30:13You're not...
30:13Because if you, for example, I mean, I plan on applying abroad.
30:17If I have to, you always have to tell your story.
30:20And if you ask every single Kashmiri student out here to tell their story, they're going
30:25to include that the limitations have not allowed them to be who they actually wanted to be.
30:31They're not being...
30:32They have not been given opportunities that the rest of the globe gets.
30:35They're not...
30:36They have not realized their full potential.
30:37And I think that is very sad.
30:39But you're trapped between terrorism on one side and a sec...
30:43Overwhelming security presence on the other, right?
30:46Which sometimes prevents you from expressing yourself with the freedom that you might want...
30:50Might want.
30:51What are you planning to do?
30:53I am planning to do my MBA from outside and going to for a corporate life.
30:56And then suddenly, obviously contribute to the growth of my state.
31:02That is Kashmir.
31:03But overall, yes, I am planning for...
31:05And you're hopeful that you will get all the opportunities in India, right?
31:08Absolutely.
31:09If...
31:10You don't feel that, you know, will I be discriminated against today?
31:13You are hopeful.
31:14I am hopeful, but I am not certain.
31:17I am hopeful, but I am not certain.
31:18What do you want to do?
31:19I want to become a doctor.
31:21Very good.
31:22My son is a doctor.
31:23What is...
31:24Are you good at biology or not?
31:25Yes, sir.
31:26So will you do it here or you will have to leave Kashmir to get a degree?
31:29I am hoping to do it here only, sir.
31:30Yeah, what about you?
31:31What do you want to do?
31:32I want to become an IS officer in server country.
31:34Wow.
31:35What do you want to do?
31:36I want to be a businesswoman.
31:37You want to be a businesswoman?
31:39What business do you want to start?
31:40A clothing brand.
31:41Clothing brand, not bad.
31:42What do you want to do?
31:43I want to be an engineer.
31:44You want to be an engineer?
31:45Wow.
31:46You?
31:47I will be moving out to complete my BB and hopefully I will become a journalist like you.
31:51You really want to become a journalist?
31:54Okay.
31:55Why not?
31:55I want to become a sustainability diplomat at least or a sustainability engineer.
32:00I am very, very close to the Valley of Kashmir.
32:03It aches my heart when I see pollution and different climate change happening here in Kashmir.
32:07That's right.
32:08You've got to make the Dal Lake cleaner among other things.
32:10Yes, definitely.
32:10You want to be a lawyer?
32:11What?
32:11Criminal lawyer?
32:12Civil lawyer?
32:13Constitutional lawyer?
32:14I will try to do all sorts of law.
32:16Okay.
32:16You want to do all sorts of law.
32:17He might make the most money out of us as a result.
32:19What do you want to do?
32:20A businessman.
32:21Okay.
32:22You?
32:22A lawyer.
32:23You want to be a lawyer?
32:24A pharmacist.
32:25Pharmacist.
32:25Wow.
32:26Lots of professional options.
32:28Lots of dreams.
32:30So all you're asking for is give us the freedom to realize our dreams.
32:34Yes.
32:34Right?
32:35And when you say that, you're also standing up to terror and violence of all kinds.
32:39Unacceptable.
32:40Not in my name.
32:40Right?
32:41Those who spoke out in Baisaran did not speak in the name of Muslims or Kashpiris or Indians.
32:48They had no religion.
32:49They were inhumane.
32:50Their religion was terror.
32:51Yes.
32:52Terrorism has no religion.
32:54You're convinced about that?
32:55Yes.
32:55Even those who speak in the name of Islam are not true Muslims.
32:58A good Muslim or even a remotely good Muslim or even a good human wouldn't even think twice
33:03before condemning it.
33:04And there are 1.4 billion Muslims, Muslim countries out there.
33:10They are living in peace.
33:11Islam is not the religion of terrorism.
33:14Islam does not teach us terrorism.
33:16Islam teaches us love, peace and harmony.
33:18And we stand by our Islam and our book.
33:20And we don't want to kill anyone and anyone.
33:23Okay.
33:24There's somebody clapping.
33:25I think he needs more.
33:26Okay.
33:26All I'm going to say is Inshallah to what you said.
33:31I wish each and every one of you the very best.
33:34I hope you can fulfill all your dreams.
33:36Look, it's starting to rain.
33:38So even the clouds are welcoming the kind of remarks I've heard today.
33:41I just want to say one last thing.
33:43Yes.
33:43That we don't need more innocent blood to be spilled just to avenge some innocent blood that was spilled.
33:49It was a huge loss, terrible loss.
33:51But we are only causing more conflict by saying that war is the option.
33:54It is never an option.
33:55You don't want war, right?
33:56Nobody wants war in the air.
33:58Okay, there's a storm here in Kashmir.
34:00I'm going to then move on to go to Anandana.
34:03Because I want to find out there how the mood is.
34:07You're watching our Ground Zero report.
34:09Thank you very much.
34:10The rain gods are also celebrating all that you've said.
34:13Fight against terror.
34:15Not in my name.
34:16Enough is enough.
34:17We are told this terrorist, identified.
34:25Adil Thokar.
34:28Alias Adil Guray of Bijh Bihara.
34:30This was in South Kashmir.
34:31Adil Thokar, who's been identified as one of the perpetrators who played a key role,
34:36especially working in tandem with a module which was behind the Palkam terror attack.
34:40Welcome back to our special coverage here, Ground Zero Kashmir.
34:54Now, we've traveled from Srinagar here to Gure, a village near Bijh Bihara in Anatnag district.
35:02This is where Adil Hussein Thokar, allegedly one of the key masterminds of the massacre that took place in Baisaran, lived.
35:12This is where the security forces have demolished his house and razed it to the ground,
35:18raising a fresh controversy over bomb justice and due process.
35:23But the key question is, how do the people here see Adil Hussein Thokar,
35:29a young student who left his home in 2018 and hasn't been reportedly seen since?
35:36How is that angle being seen by the people of this village?
35:40Come with me.
35:42As you can see, most people here will not say a word after what happened a few days ago
36:05when the house of the alleged mastermind was raised to the ground.
36:11Clearly, fear is in the air here too.
36:15Did you know Adil Hussein Thokar at all?
36:26Oh, I don't know when he left.
36:28I was maybe back in 2016-17.
36:31He left and nobody knows him.
36:33You met him in 2016-17 last?
36:36Yeah.
36:36Before that.
36:37And he was a part-time teacher?
36:39Yes.
36:39Student?
36:40Yeah.
36:41Adil Hussein Thokar was a part-time teacher.
36:43He had done a course at IGNU, Indira Gandhi National Open University.
36:46And no one has seen him since 2018.
36:49What kind of a boy was he?
36:51He was friendly.
36:54Friendly?
36:54Yeah.
36:55Quiet, friendly.
36:55Did you ever get an impression he could become a Lashkar terrorist?
36:58No, no, no.
36:58No?
36:59No, no.
37:00And today when you found out, how did you feel?
37:03I don't know.
37:04Honestly, I don't know whether he has joined any ranks or not.
37:07And if he has joined and is behind Baisaran, he should get the severest punishment?
37:11Why not?
37:13Nobody accepts that.
37:15Nobody accepts that.
37:16What happened in Baisaran, unacceptable.
37:17Unacceptable.
37:18Unacceptable.
37:19It's before 2017.
37:32From there, that is missing totally.
37:35You've never seen him since then?
37:37And what was he like when he was here in the village?
37:39He was a great person.
37:40Great person?
37:42Meaning?
37:45Meaning...
37:45You never thought that he could become a Lashkar terrorist or something?
37:49Not at all.
37:51Not at all?
37:51Not at all.
37:52What was he?
37:52Quiet, studious, worked hard?
37:55Yes.
37:55Good student?
37:56Worked very, very harder.
37:58He was doing some part-time teaching also?
38:00Yes, yes, yes.
38:01He near the school, yes.
38:03So then why would someone like that?
38:05I don't know.
38:05I don't know.
38:06They don't know.
38:07How do you see what happened in Baisaran?
38:11It's condemnable.
38:13What happened that day is unacceptable, right?
38:15Well, correct.
38:16No, no.
38:26They tried to create a Hindu-Muslim, divide Hindu-Komara.
38:28No, this is not the way.
38:31Not acceptable.
38:32foreign
38:42seven years ago, he was a student.
38:46He said that he was here for the exam.
38:51He didn't come back to the hospital.
38:54Seven years ago?
38:55Seven years ago.
38:57Seven years ago, there are 50 people.
39:00It's a whole village.
39:02It's a whole village.
39:03It's a whole village.
39:05If you look at it, there will be a few people.
39:09Do you have police or army?
39:13Yes, there are people from army.
39:16There are people from army.
39:19There are 10, 15, 20 people from army.
39:22There are a big officer.
39:24It's not.
39:25This village is completely clear.
39:27It's completely industrialized.
39:28There is no attention here.
39:30If Pakistan is behind it,
39:32If Pakistan is behind it,
39:33let's clean it up.
39:35There is not a thing about Pakistan.
39:37Do not do it.
39:38Do not do it.
39:39Do not do it.
39:40What is it?
39:41What is it?
39:42What is it?
39:43What is it?
39:44What is it?
39:45Good.
39:46Okay, our travels on this ground report in Kashmir have now brought us to the Surya Mandir in
39:52Martand in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.
40:08The Surya Mandir is the largest temple of its kind in this part of Kashmir.
40:13But as you can see around me, there's a sense of quiet desolation that perhaps reflects the plight of Kashmiri Hindus in recent times.
40:24Remember, thousands of Kashmiri Pandit families fled the valley in the 1990s.
40:30Their exodus, a permanent scar and blot on the conscience of the Kashmir valley.
40:36But there are a few families who've still bravely stayed on.
40:42And I thought we'd meet them to find out how they see the aftermath of the Baisaran terror attack.
40:50How are you?
40:52What's your name?
40:53Ashok Siddha.
40:54Ashok Siddha is the first place of the temple.
40:57All temples, all the temples, all the temples are in South Kashmir.
41:02How many families are there? How many children are there now?
41:0640-50 in this area?
41:07This area, South Kashmir, there's a lot of families.
41:10And here, we have 40-50 families.
41:13How many families are there now?
41:15Here, there's a proper mountain in the proper mountain in the 600-700 families.
41:18And in the area, there's a thousand families.
41:21So, all the children are in the 90-60s?
41:23Yes, all the children are in the 90-60s.
41:23But in the moment, there are 30 families here, they're not here.
41:28They're not here?
41:29They're not here.
41:29They're not here.
41:31that the people who are targeting the Hindus, who are targeting the Hindus, they are trying to divide a Hindu and Muslim Muslims.
41:42Is there a difference between them?
41:45No.
41:46No.
41:47No.
41:48No.
41:49No.
41:50No.
41:51No.
41:52No.
41:53No.
41:54No.
41:55No.
41:56No.
41:57No.
41:58No.
41:59No.
42:00No.
42:01No.
42:02No.
42:03No.
42:04No.
42:05No.
42:06No.
42:07No.
42:08No.
42:09No.
42:10No.
42:11No.
42:12No.
42:13No.
42:14No.
42:15No.
42:16No.
42:17No.
42:18No.
42:19No.
42:20No.
42:21No.
42:22No.
42:23No.
42:24No.
42:25No.
42:26No.
42:27No.
42:28No.
42:29foreign
42:35foreign
42:41foreign
42:47foreign
42:57foreign
43:27I am scared that this is a good thing.
43:34I am scared of fear.
43:37And our people are scared of it.
43:40If it doesn't happen, I say that this is good.
43:44I ask you all, what is the best thing about Kashmir?
43:48What do you think about the best thing?
43:50The hospital?
43:51The community.
43:53communal harmony exactly that i have seen from last 15 years no no such type of incident happened
43:59here but bhai sir i have shown the world that this is not that there are people who are exceptional cases
44:04are there i may say that thank you very much sir you have said it's good you have said it's
44:11quiet you want more people come here no thousands of people come here in the day
44:16okay i've just come out of the surya mandir to this little lane called
44:44khar mohalla which is special in a way and unique in this part of south kashmir because it is one of
44:50the few neighborhoods where you do have a few kashmiri pandit families and their muslim neighbors
44:57living it seems in complete harmony yes there were houses owned by kashmiri pundits where the
45:04pundit families left in the 1990s during the exodus but a few of them stayed back and now some internally
45:12displaced pundits also live here how has baisaran changed the bhai chara of places like khar mohalla
45:22i want to find out come with me
45:29namaskar kaisa hai rup krishna tell me you have muslim neighbors here yeah yeah where do you stay
45:35i stay inside you stay in one of these houses yes sir and muslim neighbors are these sir no problem over
45:40these years no problem at all no problem basically i am internally displaced and i have come to this
45:45area especially for this purpose because from 90 onwards this area had been always very safe
45:50secure for we our communities so have you other members of your family gone to other parts left
45:55for jammu and other parts and you are still no no no not all the families here sir but very few families
46:01left how many of you uh 20 30 families yeah yeah here in this mohalla there are all about uh 10 to 15
46:07families 10 to 15 kashmiri pandit families and you have never felt any sense of fear or anything not
46:12at all after baisaran after baisaran yes uh there is a lot of upset every everybody everybody is upset
46:19everybody everybody even even your muslim neighbors they are more upset sir they are more upset i saw
46:25them waping bitterly waping bitterly
46:37this way this is also this is all the house of the front sir most of the all pandit house yeah yeah
46:43these are all houses of pandits living in this area yes sir yes sir they are in a
46:48pallidate condition yeah they're in a very bad condition why uh because they haven't built about
46:5370 60 80 years back in 1990 you had to leave your village there no later i left because of
46:59many other situations because we have come in completely microminority so this was a hub of
47:05prints where people used to come and go so i prefer to stay here but although what is the difference
47:10between 1990 and now this time you are here with me sir at that moment there was no media there was nothing
47:17at all but it is old style it's just old style very nice this is the typical colors that you have
47:32in the name of religion will they be able to divide kashmir into they can't divide not at all not at all
47:44not at all i don't think in 1990 they were able to force people to leave but this time i think they
47:52will not succeed you're confident that this time they will not a person sure i'm 100 percent sure
47:57yesterday my son got qualified in his 10 plus 2 and first our neighboring muslims came here to
48:04uh to congregate with people so what i can say this is your son yes sir ah you're the young boy who's
48:10just finished his exam yes what do you think of what happened in bison and what should be done
48:14uh see uh if we are talking about the war war is not uh any solution for any country because in both
48:28the cases war is not an option because in that case both peoples both the peoples of the country got
48:36killed who are innocent so they should find an alternative way of if they could eliminate
48:43eliminate those who have created this havoc i will be very much happy you are a family which gives
48:50hope thank you sir thank you sir but at the same time i i would like to say to the government
48:58that they should think about also we people who have not uh what's your name my name is
49:13atip ameen atip ameen tell me you've got kashmiri uh pandit neighbors also living here yeah no problem
49:20ever no no problem we just live in harmony here we live together but in the 1990s many of them left
49:28yeah because there was a lot of misunderstanding here we locals uh we common people were never against
49:35them out of fear of terrorists they left but a lot of them stayed and we tried our best to give them
49:45production and everything and today and today also is the same you can see the temple here we celebrate
49:51their festivals they celebrate ours it's like we live like we are brothers and sisters here
49:57how will baisaran change things no it's not it has not affected the locals here especially the pundits
50:04it has not affected them neither are they concerned about their security because they know we have
50:09always supported them and the incident at baisaran that was uh they slaughtered humanity there
50:16they were all common people they had nothing to do with anything and
50:20and it was uh the murder of whole humanity
50:32kaisa hai
50:34milkul thik
50:36abhi ham reina ji ke saath thay abhi ham reina ji ke saath thay woh hume batarae
50:42ki yaa abhi bhi puri tarah se bhai chaara hai exactly exactly there is brotherhood is there
50:46okay in every in every aspect here you have pandit families and muslim families living with each
50:52other together here we are living rightly from decades from decades right sir right
50:57sir yeah so yeah just we'll share this here is a martin welfare forum
51:02martin welfare forum is a combination of hindu muslim sikh community
51:07there's chairman ashoji seda the president of the maharathian trust president
51:12i of that committee suddenly you met excellently we met you and then you are also the president
51:19you are the president of the martin forum no no we have a problem martin welfare forum
51:25martin welfare forum consists of all three communities hindus muslims and sikhs all live
51:31together in this area is the chairman of that forum i am sajad amma the president of that forum and we
51:37have inderaji singh he is the wife of that forum is the president of the forum
51:45for the voters or we who look at introducing the bag sir bhai sirense kuch buddhu
51:50foreign
52:04foreign
52:18Yes, they must be. They don't represent Islam.
52:27No, no, no. Islam says that a human's death is a human's death. It's the message of Islam.
52:35So if it's wrong, you don't want to do it. Why is it wrong?
52:38And your neighbors and you will live, you celebrate Diwali?
52:43This is Diwali day or not?
52:45Yes, 100%.
52:46And Yit Day or you will live, you will live?
52:49You will do this?
52:50Do you eat these days?
52:52Do you do this, sir?
52:54Do you know this, sir?
52:57Do you know this?
52:58Yes, sir.
53:00Are you a teacher, sir?
53:01What is your name?
53:02Muhammad Asif.
53:03Muhammad Asif.
53:04Muhammad Asif.
53:04Yes, sir.
53:05Mr. Rehna.
53:06Yes, sir.
53:06You were a good teacher?
53:07Yes, sir.
53:08He was a teacher.
53:08Yes, sir.
53:09He was a ruler.
53:10He was a ruler.
53:10He was a ruler, ruler.
53:11Was he a good student?
53:13Yes, why not?
53:13I am always thinking about this, how do I do this?
53:17I am going to meet him.
53:19And this is my Longhoti, sir.
53:21Longhoti, sir?
53:22We have studied here.
53:23Same school?
53:24Yes.
53:25Same education department?
53:26Exactly.
53:27You are also a teacher?
53:28Yes, sir.
53:29We both have got...
53:30Teaching degrees?
53:31Yes, sir.
53:32And now retired?
53:33Yes, sir.
53:34What do we do in retirement?
53:35Social service.
53:36Social service.
53:37Social service.
53:38Good to see you all.
53:40Thank you sir.
53:42Thank you very much.
53:43There are parts of Kashmir that can still surprise you.
53:46That's what makes Kashmir so special.
53:49Come with me.
53:57This was a big column of CRPF vehicles, a convoy that was traveling in and that was attacked.
54:04It is being said that it is a suicide attack and a car bomb was actually used to carry out this attack.
54:11As dusk falls over the Kashmir valley, I'm headed back to Srinagar after a very long day.
54:28My final stop is here on the highway in Pulwama at the very spot where in 2019, 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred in a terror attack.
54:41From Pulwama 2019 to Baisaran 2025, some things don't seem to change in the Kashmir valley.
54:50Every time you see a ray of hope, the valley seems to plunge into a dark abyss.
54:56This time there is the lingering hope that the valley will fight back with the anger that has been collectively shown against the horrific terror attack in Baisaran.
55:07But is anger enough to end decades of a tangled and bloodied past?
55:13That's the question that's blowing in the valley wind.
55:18Rajdeep Sardesai in Kashmir for India Today.
55:22the
55:33is
55:38the
55:40the
55:42the
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55:46Transcription by CastingWords