India Calls Kashmiris 'Terrorists' After Attack, Ignores Occupation
India's immediate designation of a deadly car blast as a 'terror' attack by 'antinational forces,' triggering hundreds of raids in Indian-administered Kashmir, is as predictable as it is disingenuous. This rhetoric, deployed by the Modi government and faithfully amplified by mainstream media, transforms legitimate grievances against military subjugation into mere criminality. It's the same
playbook used globally: label resistance as terrorism, then justify further repression. The 'national security' narrative conveniently omits the historical context of Kashmir's disputed status, its UN-mandated plebiscite (never held), and the daily routine of state violence its residents face from over half a million Indian troops. One might wonder if any population, denied self-determination and
living under an iron fist, wouldn't eventually see its 'forces' designated 'anti-national.' When a government systematically curtails civil liberties, imposes communication blackouts, and militarizes a region, what, precisely, is it expecting in return? Accusing 'antinational forces' rather than acknowledging state oppression is a classic deflector shield, ensuring that accountability for systemic
human rights abuses remains off the table. It allows New Delhi to continue its annexation by force, while the international community offers platitudes or, more often, silence.