WASHINGTON, DC — The Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), an advocacy group of Indian-origin Hindus in the United States, has called for peace, accountability and protection of civil liberties in the aftermath of the attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The group said it was heartbroken over the deaths of 28 people in the attack. “This violence has shaken many in our Hindu, Kashmiri, and Indian community, and we join them in praying for the 28 souls who have been lost,” it said in a statement on Friday.
David Dasharath Kalal, HfHR Communications Director, urged the community to lean into the Hindu teachings.
He also called for rejecting calls for retaliation aimed at Pakistan or our Muslims.
“Just as we are connected in our shared divinity, we must also share each other’s pain. In moments like these, history shows us how quickly grief can be manipulated into hatred. We urge our communities to reject calls for retaliation, whether aimed at Pakistan or our Muslim neighbours. This is a moment of pain for everyone in Kashmir and across India, and we must recognise our shared humanity instead of feeding into a cycle of revenge and division that will not result in justice or healing.”
The statement further reads: “The Indian government projects an image of ‘normalcy’ in Kashmir after it stole Kashmiris’ right to self-determination by revoking Article 370 in 2019. In reality, everyday Kashmiris live in a brutal police state. The Indian military has carried out atrocities for decades with impunity. Kashmiris have long deserved answers for the countless killed and disappeared, as well as reparations for the state of violence that they are subjected to every single day. Kashmir remains a region filled with grief, unresolved injustices, and generational trauma. These can only be addressed through open dialogue, justice, and dignity for all.
“The way forward, for Kashmiris and Indians, Hindus and Muslims, is not for us to devolve into a cycle of vengeance. Violence begets violence and the only way to break this pattern is through peace and democracy.”
