Anuradha Bhasin Speaks Out on Pahalgam Attack and Post-370 Fallout

The illusion of peace in IIOJK shattered once again after the deadly Pahalgam attack—highlighting a region simmering under years of political upheaval, repression, and disempowerment since India revoked its special status in August 2019.

Washington, D.C. – Prominent Kashmiri journalist and author Anuradha Bhasin has described the recent Pahalgam incident as an “explosion of venom,” calling it a tragic yet predictable outcome of India’s policies in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Bhasin, the managing editor of Kashmir Times, has long criticized the Indian government’s approach to IIOJK. Speaking from the U.S., she linked the April 22 attack—widely condemned internationally—to growing frustration and repression on the ground in IIOJK.

The Kashmir Times, once published from both Jammu and Srinagar, faced government retaliation in 2020 when its Srinagar office was forcibly sealed. Bhasin, known for advocating press freedom and civil rights in the region, faced backlash for her dissent, especially after the release of her book A Dismantled State: The Untold Story of Kashmir After 370 (2022).

In a media interview, she questioned the Indian government’s repeated claims of “normalcy” in the Valley. “Tourists were portrayed as symbols of peace returning to IIOJK. But the Pahalgam attack clearly punctures those narratives,” she said. Bhasin criticized the Modi-led government for failing to ensure the safety of tourists, calling them “sitting ducks” due to inadequate security.

She emphasized that attacks on tourists are extremely rare in IIOJK and condemned the Pahalgam tragedy as shocking and out of sync with Kashmiri values. “Tourism is central to our economy and culture. Kashmiri society does not endorse such violence,” Bhasin noted, calling the attack devastating and painful, yet unsurprising given the political climate.

When asked whether she anticipated such an incident, Bhasin said, “Those of us who’ve been observing IIOJK closely saw this coming—not necessarily in this form, but the signs were there.” She pointed to the deep-rooted resentment following the revocation of Article 370 and the manufactured narrative of peace by the government as underlying causes.

Discussing the recent assembly elections in IIOJK, she stated that while the National Conference may have won, the elected government lacks real power. “There’s a loss of autonomy, rising unemployment, threats to land rights, and a crushing environment of fear and arrests,” she said.

Bhasin also raised alarm over demographic shifts, citing the issuance of over 83,000 domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris in just two years. “This is part of a broader pattern of exclusion, driven by right-wing Hindu politics and anti-Muslim hate propaganda,” she said. She warned that this systematic marginalization could breed further radicalization.

While the exact perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack remain unknown, Bhasin insisted that the environment leading up to it has been shaped by years of political suppression, erasure of rights, and growing alienation.