The way to reconciliation in Jammu and Kashmir

The bomb blast in New Delhi that claimed the lives of innocent civilians and injured many others saddened me deeply. No one who values humanity can remain untouched by such loss. As Kashmiris, we have lived through the pain of violence for decades and, therefore, understand better than most what it means for families to lose loved ones, suddenly and brutally. Every act of violence against the innocent is unacceptable and no cause or ideology can ever justify it.

The rush to judge

Yet, while we mourn, it is troubling to see how quickly such tragedies are converted into sensational narratives. Even before investigations establish facts, sections of the media are quoting “inside sources” and are ready with headlines that cast suspicion on a particular community and religion. This rush to judge not only misleads the public but also places an entire population under scrutiny — especially Kashmiri students and professionals living across India, who suddenly find themselves being treated as suspects. Fear replaces safety, and anxiety grips families back home.

Condemnation of acts of terror must not be allowed to transform itself into collective punishment. Unfortunately, this has become a recurrent pattern in Jammu and Kashmir. In recent years, we have seen houses, the homes of aging parents, spouses and children, being blown up or demolished because a family member was accused of supporting militancy.

A house is not just a structure. It represents dignity, belonging and memories. Destroying it punishes those who have committed no crime. Similarly, detaining or harassing relatives and the acquaintances of suspected militants is neither justice nor strategy. It spreads anger and pain further. Young people do not turn to violence, that too educated professionals if they feel heard and hopeful. They do so mostly when they feel oppressed, humiliated and disempowered. While the larger issue remains unaddressed, there is also the curtailment of civil liberties, constant police surveillance, fear of arbitrary dismissals from government service, and attachment of properties by investigative agencies and frequent raids and arrests. Combined with shrinking employment avenues and the unjust reservation and recruitment policies that leave local educated youth feeling excluded even from the limited jobs that exist, all these have created a deep sense of suffocation among them.

Furthering alienation

This alienation is further intensified by the abrogation of constitutionally guaranteed Article 370, the withdrawal of land and job protections, and the widespread fear of demographic change through policies that encourage outsider settlement and domicile rights. These steps and measures — however, they may be defended officially — are experienced on the ground as attacks on identity, dignity, and ownership of one’s homeland. Such measures do not foster integration. They reinforce the feeling of dispossession. And the stronger that feeling, the more extreme the retaliatory violence.

Highlighting these realities is not justification of violence — it is an attempt to prevent it. Peace cannot be built on the denial of wounds. If peace is the goal then the causes that lead to violent extremism must be addressed. Security operations may suppress symptoms, but only justice and empathy can heal the root.

The path to pursue

I have also always urged the youth not to resort to violence or extremism measures. It is totally unjustifiable, completely against religious tenets, destructive and self defeating. To me, the best way to redress issues among people is dialogue, rooted in compassion and mutual respect. Guns, demolitions, collective punishment, and blanket suspicion will not bring peace. They produce resentment, distrust and alienation. But when dignity is protected, aspirations are addressed and rights are respected, hearts open and reconciliation becomes possible.

I, therefore, urge policymakers in India to view Jammu and Kashmir not merely as a law-and-order issue, but as a human and political reality that requires engagement, redress and confidence building. The framework once articulated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee — insaniyat and jamhooriyat — still holds the promise of a dignified future for all.

Whether those in power choose that path or ignore it, is for them to decide. As for us, the pulpit of Jama Masjid will continue to advocate for peace, condemn injustice and violence wherever it occurs. We will not give up on hope fostered by our faith in the belief that hope is the strength that sustains societies through their most difficult moments and leads them toward better days.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is Chairman, Hurriyat Conference. This article is an elaboration of the Friday Sermon he delivered at the Jama Masjid, Srinagar