SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday addressed the Legislative Assembly, declaring that Kashmir had, for the first time since the rise of terrorism, “risen against terror” following the Pahalgam massacre.
Speaking during a specially convened session, Omar said that the overwhelming, spontaneous expressions of sorrow and condemnation throughout Kashmir signaled “the first steps towards ending terrorism” in the Valley.
“For twenty-six long years, I never witnessed what I saw this time — the people of Jammu and Kashmir standing up independently to say, ‘Not in my name.’ No political faction summoned them. No government directive mobilized them. They gathered unprompted — lighting candles, holding placards, and marching quietly to tell the attackers: whoever you did this for, you did not do it for us,” he said while introducing a resolution condemning the terrorist attack.
Reflecting on the night of the bloodshed, Omar recounted visiting the police control room, where 26 bodies of innocent civilians lay. Struggling for words, he asked, “What crime had they committed? That they dared to come here seeking peace? And fate answered them with death.”
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Omar spoke of Kashmir’s agonizing history with terror. “We suffered grievously — from the assault on this Assembly complex in October 2001 to attacks on army bases, Pandit settlements, Sikh communities — no one was left untouched. We believed those dark days were behind us. Yet, the horror of April 22 brought those memories crashing back.”
However, amid the horror, he found hope. “For once, Kashmiris neither justified nor excused the act. They condemned it loudly, without hesitation. Guns and security forces alone cannot defeat terrorism. It dies only when the people themselves walk away from it — and now, they are beginning to walk with us.”
Omar pointed to one particularly powerful moment: at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid, known for passionate political addresses, worshippers observed two minutes of complete silence before Friday prayers to honor the victims.
On the politically sensitive issue of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Omar struck a solemn tone. “I refuse to use the tragedy of 26 innocent deaths as a bargaining chip. How could I exploit such pain to lobby for political gains in Delhi? Am I so shameless? Is the worth of their sacrifice so cheap? No — a thousand curses on me if I stoop to that level.”
He reassured the House that the demand for the restoration of statehood would continue through constitutional means but asserted, “Today is not for politics, not for statehood debates. Today is for grief, unity, and an uncompromising rejection of terror.”
Omar shared moving stories of courage from the attack: a young Kashmiri boy shielded a tourist family, vowing no harm would come to them while he was alive; boatmen on Dal Lake handed out fruit to stranded tourists free of cost; taxi drivers and hotel owners sheltered fleeing visitors without charging a rupee. “This,” he said, “is the Kashmir I cherish — a Kashmir defined by compassion, honor, and selflessness.”
He acknowledged that some Kashmiris elsewhere in India faced harassment following the attack but praised local governments and police for swiftly intervening to protect them. Measures such as special helplines and designated nodal officers were set up in major cities to support Kashmiris facing threats.
Finally, Omar issued a stern warning against the misuse of social media to spread falsehoods that could escalate tensions. “Stop playing with fire,” he cautioned. “Lies deepen the wounds of real victims. We will not allow mischief-mongers to aggravate the pain any further.”
