Author: Sunanda Vashisht @sunandavashisht
Publication: Thread Reader App
Date: September 9, 2019
URL:      https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1171249166909136896.html

Thread- I feel I must speak about this before the domino effect sets in. As a child of conflict, born and raised in conflict, I understand patterns and can identify myth making factories.

First I spotted a fiction writer turned full time activist write in a hostile American newspaper that Kashmiri Hindus are being ‘used’ and even though their tragedy is ‘real’, their grief is being used to extract ‘revenge’. I dismissed this as yet another rant by loony far left

Then I spotted another ‘unknown to me’ name journalist write in a mainstream Leftist newspaper published from Chennai, that Kashmiri Hindus are being used to extract revenge. This time I lost it and wrote a thread calling her out immediately. I got no answers as expected

Now I noticed a well known public intellectual write a whole column about how generally KP’s are wonderful people and have been wronged but well now they are being used to ‘extract revenge’ . The tone was sympathetic but intention certainly wasn’t

This is when I realized that yet another myth was taking birth in front of our eyes. Just like ‘Jagmohan forced KP exodus’ myth was manufactured, now this ‘revenge’ myth is already being tested, slowly but surely with big names putting their might behind it.

KP’s have welcomed abrogation of Article 370 just like Dogras have and Ladakhis have. They feel this will help in the complete integration of J&K with India and end discrimination between residents of the state. More importantly it will end the status quo.

But KP’s have not been part of this process. It is not like Modi, Shah, Doval consulted with KP’s and came upon communication clampdown idea. KP’s have nothing to do with how Govt of India planned Abrogation and implemented it.

No KP has every asked for revenge or has even dreamt of revenge. They have dreamt of peace, return to their homes and justice for their victims and what has happened to them. KP’s are victims in this whole process. Don’t put this albatross of revenge around their necks now.

This narrative will have significant and disastrous impact. Few more people will add to this ‘revenge’ myth and soon it will spread in valley and imagine the fate of KP’s then. That tiny dream we have of returning back will never come true because of renewed hostilities

Those who are writing this ‘revenge’ script want to attack the government. By all means do so, but fire from your own shoulders. Do not use already vulnerable KP’s to attack the govt and make them sitting ducks if they ever were to return to the valley.

Abrogation has renewed hope for us. But on ground much needs to change. We are patiently waiting and courageously fighting. Don’t make our battles difficult because you have an axe to grind with the government. And don’t manufacture myths. They have consequences.