April 16, 2024

Another sane voice has been silenced in the Kashmir valley. Since no one has claimed responsibility for the cowardly murder of Shujaat Bukhari, the editor-in-chief of Rising Kashmir, one can assume that it was the handiwork of those who did not like his voice of reason and support for truth. They could be from either side of the deep divide in J&K. Bukhari was one who believed in dialogue and peace. He had wholeheartedly welcomed the ceasefire announced by the Centre for the holy month of Ramzan. There were people who were against peace and wanted to break the ceasefire. Maybe they took out their wrath on Bukhari. Or maybe he was killed for pointing out human rights violations in the valley and supporting the recent UN report on the subject which the Centre has called “fallacious”.

The ghastly murder shows the perils under which journalists work in Kashmir. If one writes the truth and supports peace initiatives, one is immediately labeled “anti-Kashmiri” or one who has ‘sold’ out to India. If one highlights human rights violations, one is accused of being ‘soft’ on the terrorists. Bukhari had been targeted in the past too and that was the reason that he had two personal security persons with him, who were also killed. As all Kashmiris are not terrorists or even stone pelters, so all persons in security forces are not human rights violators. But excesses exist on both sides. Hence, it is necessary to have fearless journalists like Bukhari present the truth before us. His murder is a murder of sanity, truth and reason. The perpetrators must be caught and brought to justice and their masters must be unmasked.