Restoring Justice and Dignity

21/07/2025

The announcement by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha that encroached properties of terror victim families will be vacated by August is more than just a policy decision - it is a long-overdue assertion of justice for those who have suffered silently for decades. The government's resolve to reclaim these properties from terrorists and their sympathizers is a strong and necessary statement in the region's battle against terrorism and its lingering shadows For far too long, families of terror victims have not only borne the emotional and economic trauma of their loss but have also faced societal neglect and systemic failure. That some of their homes and lands - symbols of memory and belonging - were taken over by the very elements responsible for their suffering adds to this collective injustice. The planned reclamation of these properties is thus not merely administrative; it is symbolic of reclaiming Kashmir's soul from fear and injustice.
Coupled with the government's recent move to provide employment and assistance to 40 members of these families, this represents a more holistic shift towards recognition, rehabilitation, and respect. These actions send a clear message that the state is no longer indifferent to the marginalized - and that justice, even if delayed, will not be denied.Governor Sinha's remarks at the launch of Indus Water Treaty-Mirroring the Facts also carry political weight. Without naming specific individuals, his criticism of those echoing the rhetoric of banned terrorist outfits like The Resistance Front (TRF) underscores a crucial line between democratic dissent and dangerous delegitimization of the nation's unity. When elected representatives describe developmental initiatives - like extending train services to Kashmir - as acts of demographic or cultural invasion, they unwittingly or otherwise provide intellectual cover to terrorist narratives.
Such statements not only undermine the efforts of the security forces, who risk their lives for peace and order, but also obstruct the aspirations of a new generation in Kashmir that yearns for peace, opportunity, and progress. If the state is to move forward, these voices must not be allowed to drown out the voices of victims, of peacebuilders, and of the silent majority who reject extremism in all forms.Sinha's warning that legal action will be initiated against those defaming security forces or parroting terrorist ideology is a reminder that freedom of speech does not include freedom to incite, provoke, or weaken national integrity. In a democratic society, criticism is not only welcome but essential - but criticism must not become camouflage for extremism.
Ultimately, August will not just mark a bureaucratic deadline, but a milestone in the moral restoration of justice in Kashmir. Evicting encroachers from the homes of terror victims is about reclaiming more than land - it's about reclaiming truth, dignity, and hope. And it tells the world that while terrorism may have once gripped the Valley, the future belongs to its victims - not their oppressors.

Photo Gallery

BSE Sensex

NSE Nifty