War Against Terror Must Be Targetted

There's a thin line between fighting terrorism and traumatising innocent civilians in the war against militancy. The recent demolitions of several houses, with grievous damage caused to the houses in the neighbourhood crosses that line. No doubt, the Pahalgam tragedy in which 26 civilians lost their lives required a response against terrorism. But when counter-terrorism methods turn into collective punishment in defiance of Indian laws and international humanitarian principles then there is reason to be worried.

Across Kashmir, about 10 houses belonging to alleged perpetrators were blasted but scores of others adjoining them were also destroyed completely or partially. These residential structures were homes to families. Even if there is clinching evidence to nail the alleged perpetrators, their families or their neighbours cannot be held responsible for their reprehensible acts. The message in these demolitions is clear: you are responsible for your relatives, even adult children who've left home years ago. And this is troubling because guilt is individual, not familial. In Bandipora, while the officials claimed to have killed an alleged militant, Altaf Lali but the family has contested the claim saying that Altaf was not a militant and that he was taken into custody and killed in a staged encounter. Altaf is the brother of a jailed militant Talib Lali. In rest of Kashmir over 1500 people have been detained. The scale of the operations becomes questionable in light of the fact that official claims till last month were that militancy had been decimated and that there were less than 10 militants operating in the Valley. This approach to counter-insurgency pivoted to mass punishments raises fundamental questions about justice, proportionality, and human dignity.

Kashmir has a long and battered history of conflict, and the masses already feel alienated due to years of suppression and the more recent upheavals post 2019. Exacerbating this alienation, especially at a time when Kashmiris showed immense maturity in sending the message that they were united in the war against terror, would be dangerous not only for Kashmir but also rest of the country. There are no easy solutions to terrorism. But effective counter-terrorism must be targeted, proportionate, and firmly rooted in the rule of law. It must differentiate between the guilty and the innocent, and it must recognize that alienating entire communities undermines long-term security and peace goals. Kashmir certainly needs to be freed from terrorism, but its people also deserve to be freed from arbitrary punishments and gross violations. The people of India deserve investigations that focus on actual perpetrators rather than arbitrary theatre to create a perception of efficiency. Most fundamentally, Kashmiris deserve to be treated as citizens with rights, not as subjects to be collectively punished or be treated as collateral damage. If the Indian government considers Kashmir as an integral part of the country, its residents must also be treated as integral not discarded or brutalized.