The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), an organization representing non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits, has issued a stern warning against treating recent online threats targeting Kashmiri Pandit employees in the Valley as inconsequential digital chatter. The group emphasized that genuine brotherhood must translate into tangible protection, institutional accountability, and societal vigilance, coupled with an outright rejection of intimidation tactics.
Sanjay Tickoo, the chief of KPSS, stated that the community, which has a history of facing threats through various means, is now confronting a renewed language of fear disseminated via the internet and social media platforms. He drew a parallel between past intimidation methods, such as wall graffiti, posters, mosque loudspeakers, and whispered warnings, and the current digital dissemination of threats.
Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that Tickoo highlighted the unsettling familiarity of the current situation, noting that while the medium of intimidation has evolved from physical to digital channels, the underlying psychological objective remains unchanged. He elaborated that in the 1990s, fear was spread through tangible means, whereas today it is propagated through screens, digital platforms, and encrypted communications. The technology may have advanced, but the chilling intent to make Kashmiri Pandits feel that their right to their homeland is conditional, their property negotiable, their presence temporary, and their safety dependent on external permission persists.
The KPSS’s statement comes in the wake of another threatening letter targeting Kashmiri Pandits that recently surfaced on social media, causing significant fear and anxiety among community members residing in the Valley. Tickoo urged that this latest incident should not be compartmentalized as an isolated event or reduced to a debate about who created or distributed the threatening communication.
He asserted that a Kashmiri Pandit does not forfeit their identity as an inhabitant of their ancestral home simply because extraordinary circumstances compelled them to leave. The right to cherish memories of one’s home, he argued, cannot be criminalized, nor can the aspiration to return be construed as a provocation. Similarly, the fundamental right to live without fear should not be misinterpreted as a plea for mere sympathy.
Tickoo further articulated that the concept of brotherhood cannot serve as a substitute for concrete protection. He stressed that sentiment cannot replace security, assurances cannot supersede intelligence gathering, and appeals for harmony cannot absolve authorities of accountability. According to Tickoo, true brotherhood can only flourish in an environment where fear has been eradicated.
The return of Kashmiri Pandits has long been presented as a crucial element in restoring the pluralistic fabric of Kashmir. However, Tickoo cautioned against holding the majority community collectively responsible for the actions of militants, just as the transgressions of a few should not be indiscriminately attributed to the entire society. He called for societal courage to critically examine the conditions that foster intimidation, enable the circulation of personal information, and permit threats to be directed at vulnerable minority groups.
The KPSS chief indicated that the Kashmiri Pandit community has consistently been urged to place faith in the future of Kashmir. He cautioned that this faith should not be mistaken for naivety, nor should their willingness to return be interpreted as an acceptance of perpetual vulnerability. Kashmiri Pandits, he stated, require more than symbolic gestures of brotherhood; they need unequivocal assurances of safety and protection.
Tickoo emphasized the need for confidence that their lives are valued and protected before any untoward incidents occur. He also stressed the importance of assurance that their ancestral properties will not be gradually lost due to historical displacements. The community seeks a secure environment where their rights and presence are not contingent on external permissions or subject to the whims of those who seek to intimidate them.
The KPSS’s stance underscores a growing concern within the community that digital threats, despite their virtual nature, carry real-world implications and echo historical patterns of targeted intimidation. The organization’s call for action highlights the need for a multi-faceted approach that combines security measures with a societal commitment to inclusivity and the protection of minority rights in the region.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
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