Date: April 23, 2025
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The attack is seen as a setback to what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have projected as a major achievement in revoking the semi-autonomous status Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed and bringing peace and development to the long-troubled Muslim-majority region.
Modi cut short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on Wednesday morning. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also cutting short her visit to the United States and Peru “to be with our people in this difficult and tragic time”, her ministry said.
“When the nation bleeds and innocent lives are lost, the Prime Minister cannot continue to escape accountability. This is not just a security lapse — it is a leadership failure. While soldiers are martyred at home, the PM is busy touring foreign countries, attending events, and promoting optics over action. The people of India deserve a leader who stands with them in times of crisis — not one who disappears when it matters most. It’s time the Prime Minister takes moral responsibility and resigns.”
“We will not only reach those who have perpetrated this incident but also those who, sitting behind the scenes, have conspired to commit such acts on the soil of India,” Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said ahead of the meeting.
“There will be a loud and clear response soon,” he said at a memorial lecture for a former Indian Air Force chief.
Pakistan denies the accusations and says it only provides moral, political and diplomatic support to the insurgency in Kashmir.
HUNT FOR ATTACKERS
Security forces rushed to the Pahalgam area soon after the attack and began combing the forests there, two security sources told Reuters. About 100 people, suspected to have been militant sympathisers in the past, were called to police stations and questioned, they added.
Police also released sketches of three of the four suspected attackers, who were dressed in traditional long shirts and loose trousers and one of them was wearing a bodycam, one security source said. There were about 1,000 tourists and about 300 local service providers and workers in the valley when the attack took place, he said.
A little-known militant group, the “Kashmir Resistance,” claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media message. It expressed discontent that more than 85,000 “outsiders” had been settled in the region, spurring a “demographic change”.
In a fresh statement on Wednesday, the group said that the “individuals targeted were not ordinary tourists; instead, they were linked to and affiliated with Indian security agencies” and said it would step up its activities.
“It was not a typical tourist group but rather an undercover agency tasked with research,” it said and added that the attack should “serve as a wake-up call not only for Delhi but also for those who support Delhi’s questionable strategies”.
India’s government has not commented on the group’s claims.
Indian security agencies say Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, is a front for Pakistan-based militant organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
“We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives,” Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement. “We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
Polarization in Prime Time
TV debates across various national news outlets have seen representatives from parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliated groups blaming what they call a “soft approach” by past secular governments and accusing “anti-national elements” of sympathizing with terrorists.
“Enough is enough. It’s time to hit back, not just across the border, but also within our country — against those who justify or romanticize these attacks,” said one party spokesperson on a major Hindi news channel.
Opposition Slams ‘Communal Spin’
In response, opposition leaders have condemned the rhetoric as irresponsible and dangerous. “Terrorism must be condemned unequivocally. But turning this tragedy into a platform for communal polarization is a betrayal of national unity,” said a senior Congress party leader.
Media analysts have also expressed concern about the sensationalism dominating coverage. “Instead of focusing on facts, investigations, or constructive dialogue, many channels are echoing partisan talking points that could deepen societal divides,” said Meera Shaikh, a media ethics expert.
Call for Responsible Journalism
Human rights organizations and journalists’ associations have urged news outlets to act responsibly, emphasizing the importance of balanced reporting, especially during times of national crisis.
“Media should not become a mouthpiece for any political agenda — especially when the stakes involve communal harmony and national security,” said the Indian Press Freedom Forum in a public statement.
As Kashmir mourns another tragedy, many are calling for a moment of unity — not division.
