Pulwama Attack: Is India’s Social Fabric Under Threat?

Is India’s social fabric being threatened by some who seek political advantage, in the aftermath of Pulwama?

At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, 14 February.

(Photo: PTI)

The aftermath of Pulwama terror attack has seen social media being filed prejudices, biases and hate. While one usually ignores a few trolls, when Kashmiri students are being allegedly threatened or a sitting Governor says he agrees with the call to boycott Kashmiri goods – it is time to ask questions.

It is time to ask whether the social fabric of India is being threatened by some who seek political advantage.

‘Remark Bound by Constitutional Provisions’

Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy sparked a controversy with his provocative comments on Tuesday, 19 February, endorsing a call to boycott all Kashmiri products from the state.

Speaking to BloombergQuint, Roy said his remarks were bound by the constitutional provisions of this country and that he was well within his legal boundaries to make such a statement.

“Can you site the constitutional provision which prevents me from voicing my personal opinion in such matters, particularly when the security of the state is concerned? I am not bound by somebody’s personal opinion or what is morally correct. I am concerned with what my legal obligations and legal boundaries are.”

Tathagata Roy, Governor, Meghalaya 

When asked how this logic will help in tackling the core problem, Roy said, India has exhausted all possible options and that this non-violent measure is the way forward.

Yogendra Yadav’s Three-Point Approach

Meanwhile, President of Swaraj India Yogendra Yadav put forth a three point suggestion to deal with the issue.

Elaborating his three point suggestion, he said, “The first approach is for the government to take the Opposition leaders into confidence about its overall approach, not necessarily the operational details.”

“With the second approach, the government should get the opposition and media not to criticise or pressurise it on this issue, so as to give the government some space. Three, the government and opposition should agree that given the proximity of elections, they will not make this into an election issue.”

Yogendra Yadav, President, Swaraj India

While Modi and Rahul Gandhi have been mature with their statements, Amit Shah and many other BJP leaders have turned funeral processions into election roadshows, he said.

Condemning the coverage by media and response of people on social media platforms he said, there has been a lot of very irresponsible thought and trolling which has sunk to unexpected low levels and ground threats.

“But the big question is, are we not playing into the hands of those very terrorists whom we wanted to oppose?” Yadav added.

Former interlocutor on Jammu & Kashmir MM Ansari criticised both the central and Jammu and Kashmir government for the incident.

“What we see is either because of security failure of because of mismanagement of political relationship. As a result of fractures political relationship, there is no common way to deal with the Kashmir issue,” he said.