Kashmiriyat – such a lovely word. “Kashmiriyat is the ethno-national and social consciousness and cultural values of the Kashmiri people.” It sounds so peaceful and all-encompassing. This is the word whenever the international community’s attention is to be drawn to the Kashmiris of Bharat. Yes, Kashmiris of Bharat only. They don’t use this word when they speak about the Kashmiris of Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Wouldn’t you like to know why?

Well, in simple words this word is only used in Bharat (India) because it is only here that people of all religions and cultures Kashmir even have a voice. In Pakistan, the demographic conversion to fill the Valley with non-Kashmiris, is almost complete. In Bharat, to hide their blatant Hinduphobia, Muslims use this word to show brotherly feelings towards those very people whom they killed, tortured, raped and drove away from Kashmir. When they did this, they did not even for a minute think of Kashmiriyat or any such cultural values. They did not think ethnicity or social consciousness at all. In fact the last thing in their mind was Kashmiriyat – the only thing in their mind was Islam and converting or torturing those whom they were not successful in converting in the past. They made it abundantly clear that the Kashmiri Hindus were Kafirs or non-believers when they said the slogan, “Raliv, Galiv ya Chaliv” meaning “Convert, Die or Leave Kashmir”.

Slain Sarpanch Ajay Pandita cremated in Jammu | Greater Kashmir

For so many decades, we Indians have been seeing articles after articles in the National and International Press, where the Radical Islamists of Kashmir have been praised for being freedom fighters or for fighting the most disciplined Indian Army and the Indian Government. Surprisingly not one article questioned why it was only the Hindus who died in Kashmir and not the illegal Rohingyas. Is it because the Rohingyas are Muslims? If Kashmiriyat is such a divine feeling, why is it that the Rohingyas are accepted with open arms even if they have zero knowledge about the culture of Kashmir? In fact those talking about Kashmiriyat should have shed copious tears for the fact that students have been missing school life because of terrorism and have been trapped into becoming stone pelters. Kashmiriyat’s most important aspect would be the Rishis and Saints of Kashmir, their teachings on realising the Self and most importantly, gaining of Knowledge and Wisdom. After all, Sharada Mata, the Goddess of knowledge and wisdom is the Patron Goddess of Kashmir. When students are led away from this, you know the emptiness and hollowness that the word “Kashmiriyat” holds.

Very recently, a Hindu Sarpanch (village chief) was killed in Kashmir. His only fault was that he was brave enough to go back to the land of his ancestors and win a democratically held election. The reaction of the Kashmiri Muslims on Social Media after the ruthless killing of Sarpanch Ajay Pandita, bares their glee on the fact that a Hindu had been killed. It shows their naked hypocrisy about being the people who want normalcy to return to the Valley with all its original inhabitants (the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists) living peacefully under the umbrella of Kashmiriyat. They are definitely not the people trounced under Army boots – they are the people trouncing the term “Peace”. “Kashmiriyat is Dead. Long live Kashmiriyat”.

DISCLAIMER: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The author carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing of images utilized within the text.