Asian Defiance

Press Statement

Date: April 26, 2025

Pahalgam Killings: A Call for Peace, Justice, and Unity

Don’t let far-right politicians divide us — we are stronger united.

At least 26 civilians were brutally murdered by militants in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, 2025. We mourn the death of every single civilian in this senseless, horrific attack.

The killings have heightened tensions across the subcontinent. Today, both India and Pakistan stand on the brink of war. This dangerous escalation risks global consequences and is already having ramifications here in the UK, where far-right politicians are sowing divisions between British, Kashmiri, Indian, and Pakistani communities.

The Pahalgam killings are morally indefensible. But we must also be clear: they are being exploited to fuel Islamophobia both in India and the UK. Hindu supremacist ideologues view Pakistan as a permanent enemy and Indian Muslims as the 'enemy within.' This is a strategy of hate.

Already, the stigmatisation and targeting of Indian Muslims and Kashmiris is intensifying. Kashmiri students across northern India are facing threats of violence. In Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, right-wing groups have issued open calls to attack Kashmiri students. In Uttarakhand, the Hindu Raksha Dal has ordered all Kashmiris to leave Dehradun.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, a dangerous anti-India communal hysteria is being whipped up. The Pakistani government has failed to condemn the horrifying attack in Pahalgam in strong enough terms, offering only token sympathy.

While we unequivocally condemn the Pahalgam attack, we must also recognise the long, painful history of repression faced by Kashmiris. In August 2019, the Modi government unconstitutionally revoked Article 370, triggering a brutal lockdown, mass detentions, and a 150-day communications blackout. This ongoing state repression has laid the groundwork for future unrest and militancy.

If the Indian government is serious about peace, it must address the legitimate political aspirations and rights of all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. A state-terror response will only cause more innocent bloodshed — in Kashmir and beyond. Euphemisms like “counter-terrorism” and “collateral damage” must not be allowed to conceal injustice.

Instead of working for de-escalation, the Modi government has irresponsibly suspended the Indus Valley Waters Treaty — a reckless act of brinkmanship between two nuclear-armed nations. The Pahalgam attack, claimed by a non-state group, The Resistance Front, must not be used as a pretext for illegal acts of war or collective punishment.

Here in Britain, we cannot be silent either.

Last summer's violent racist riots — the worst in post-war British history — showed how far-right and extremist groups, including Tommy Robinson and his networks, were able to orchestrate coordinated attacks on migrant and Muslim communities in 27 towns across England and Northern Ireland. Hindu far-right groups have actively platformed Robinson, disseminating his racist propaganda and welcoming him into India with open arms.

This dangerous alliance between Hindutva ideologues and British far-right figures is a direct threat to our communities.

We refuse to be divided.

The South Asian community has a proud tradition of standing against racism and division in British society. That spirit is alive today — but it needs to be actively nurtured and organised. We must build unity across our communities, campuses, and workplaces to combat and defeat far-right politics once again.

In memory of the victims of Pahalgam, in defence of our future, we stand for peace, justice, and unity.

Asian Defiance

Building Unity and Resistance: A South Asian Movement Against Racism and Fascism

Ends

Suresh Grover

office@tmg-uk.org

Asian Defiance is a independent, non-partisan and non-sectarian national movement dedicated to uniting people of South Asian heritage in the fight against all forms of racism, including Islamophobia, xenophobia, and the far right. By challenging segregation and divisions rooted in communalism, Asian Defiance seeks to empower South Asian communities to work together and contribute to a national united front against racism and fascism.