The recent blast in New Delhi has once again cast a long shadow over Kashmiri professionals living across India. Terror must be investigated and punished. Lives were lost, and those responsible deserve the full force of the law. But there is a vital line that separates legitimate security work from the creation of an “enemy within.”
The invocation of a so-called “white-collar” terror network, the arrest of doctors and other professionals, and the wave of anxiety that followed in Indian cities and in Jammu and Kashmir go well beyond an anti-terror operation. They raise a pertinent question. Will India remain a democracy that respects due process and pluralism, or slide into collective punishment guided by majoritarian impulses?
Even if we momentarily accept the government’s claim that a sophisticated terror module has been unearthed, the response still raises troubling issues. If the alleged actions of a few are used to justify sweeping crackdowns, summary demolitions, or new forms of communal vetting in educational institutions and workplaces, then claims of “normalcy” sound hollow.
A democracy does not demonstrate confidence by targeting an entire community. It demonstrates confidence by enforcing the law transparently, proportionately, and without bias.
Kashmiris have lived under the weight of securitisation for decades. The revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s limited autonomy in August 2019 was sold as a gateway to development and integration. Instead, it has brought mass detentions, communication blackouts, and a long, suffocating security presence. The years that followed have been marked by bureaucratic exclusion, seizures of property, and the shrinking of civic and political space.
If investigators now claim that some individuals from the valley have been involved in plots that extend beyond the region, then this alone is a reminder that genuine peace cannot be manufactured through coercion.
The official narrative that Kashmir has accepted the post-2019 political order stands at odds with the ground reality. Disempowerment does not build loyalty; it breeds resentment.
A more subtle trend is emerging, one that could have long-term consequences - the construction of “white-collar hate.” This narrative portrays educated Muslims, especially Kashmiris, as uniquely dangerous because their professional status allegedly hides extremist leanings. This flips the old prejudices into a new form of communal suspicion.
When doctors, engineers, researchers, or students are singled out simply for belonging to a particular community, the damage goes far beyond the immediate case. It leads to discrimination in housing, barriers in employment, and a sense of perpetual vulnerability. The ghettoisation that follows corrodes social cohesion and deepens the fault lines within society. A democracy should nurture its skilled citizens, not stigmatise them.
Security Without Justice
No country facing violence can afford to ignore real threats. But security cannot come at the expense of constitutional values. When an entire population is treated as suspect, when demolitions occur without judicial oversight, and when administrative punishment becomes a routine tool, the state loses moral ground. Collective punishment is not only unjust, but also counterproductive.
Alienation is not an abstract concept in Kashmir. It is woven into daily experience through restricted movement, arbitrary detentions, the closure of political channels, and a long history of feeling unheard. These conditions fuel the very radicalisation the state claims to prevent. Empowerment, not humiliation, is what reduces the space for extremism.
A democracy must show strength through fairness. Three steps are crucial. Firstly, there should be transparent, evidence-based justice in place. Arrests must lead to open trials, demolitions must not replace courts, and preventive powers must be checked with oversight. Rule of law, not muscle, legitimises state action.
Secondly, use of language and authority must be responsible. Public officials who cast collective suspicion on a community should be held accountable. Hate speech is not a rhetorical slip. It is a deliberate political choice with real-world consequences.
Thirdly, there can be no lasting peace without addressing the political aspirations of the people. Dialogue must include a wide spectrum of Kashmiri voices, civil society, non-violent political groups, and representatives from Jammu and Ladakh. Development without dignity is not development. It becomes a tool of demographic anxiety and settler-style transformation.
Restoring trust will require more than promises. Anti-discrimination protections must be strengthened. Employment and housing policies must guard against bias. Civic liberties curtailed since 2019 need to be restored. And there should be credible steps toward accountability for past abuses.
These measures are not concessions. They are the foundations of a stable and peaceful society. A state that suffocates dissent may win short-term control, but it risks longer-term instability, reputational damage, and a perpetual cycle of violence that eventually spreads far beyond Kashmir.
Moment for Clarity
The Red Fort blast and the related arrests must be investigated thoroughly. The victims deserve justice. But justice cannot become a mask for collective anger. If India aspires to be a strong democracy, it must ensure that pluralism and the rule of law are not conditional on political expediency.
Ending the politics of demonisation, resisting the temptation of majoritarian force, and reopening space for dialogue are not signs of weakness. They are signs of confidence and constitutional maturity. For Kashmir, and for India’s future, the choice is clear: empowerment leads to peace, while coercion deepens the crisis.
Durable normalcy will arrive only when Kashmiris participate freely in shaping their future. Until then, security will remain fragile, and each crisis will invite another cycle of fear. Ending the siege mentality is not only a moral obligation. It is a strategic necessity.
(The writer is the Chairman of, Kashmir Institute of International Relations. He can be reached at saleeemwani@hotmail.com and on X @sultan1913.)
Have you liked the news article?