Special Correspondent, Hello Asia News
Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir – The horrific terror attack on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows, which claimed 28 lives and injured over 20, mostly tourists, has shattered the Modi government’s narrative of a peaceful Jammu and Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, claimed responsibility for the massacre, one of the deadliest since the 2019 Pulwama attack. As the nation mourns, questions mount: Where is the accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who campaigned on transforming Kashmir into a terror-free paradise? How did their election propaganda hold up, and why are they deflecting responsibility for this colossal failure? With India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and escalating tensions with Pakistan, is the government pushing the country toward war to mask its shortcomings, and will choking Pakistan’s water supply deliver justice for the victims?
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Modi and Shah repeatedly touted the 2019 revocation of Article 370 as a masterstroke that ended terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Shah claimed in rallies that “peace has returned to the Valley,” while Modi boasted that the region’s integration as a Union Territory under direct central control had eradicated militancy. Social media campaigns amplified this narrative, with BJP supporters hailing Shah’s “iron grip” on security and Modi’s vision of a tourism-driven Kashmir. Posts on X from the time echo this sentiment, with users crediting the government for “bringing stability” after decades of unrest. Yet, the Pahalgam attack exposes these claims as hollow. Critics argue the government’s propaganda misled tourists into believing Kashmir was safe, luring thousands to vulnerable spots like Baisaran, dubbed “Mini Switzerland.” One X user (@mithunonthenet) slammed the BJP’s rhetoric, accusing Shah of “spinning peace tales” while intelligence failures piled up.
The opposition has seized on these lapses. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge questioned why Modi skipped an all-party meeting on the attack, suggesting a lack of seriousness. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called it an “intelligence failure,” pointing to reports that security agencies had no prior knowledge of Baisaran’s opening to tourists on April 20, leaving it exposed. A closed-door all-party meeting revealed government admissions of “security lapses,” yet neither Modi nor Shah has publicly owned the failure. Instead, Shah visited the attack site and vowed that “Bharat will not bend to terror,” while Modi, cutting short a Saudi Arabia trip, promised to “punish terrorists beyond their imagination.” These fiery statements, critics argue, sidestep accountability for the government’s overconfident narrative and failure to protect civilians.
The government’s response has been swift but provocative, raising fears of war with Pakistan. India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, closed the Attari-Wagah border, expelled Pakistani military attaches, and canceled visas for Pakistani nationals, giving those in India 48 hours to leave. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri justified the treaty suspension, citing Pakistan’s “support for cross-border terrorism.” The move, which could divert water from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers—vital for Pakistan’s agriculture and economy—has been called “water warfare” by Pakistan’s power minister, Awais Lekhari, who warned it amounts to an “act of war.” Pakistan retaliated by suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement, closing its airspace to Indian flights, and reducing India’s diplomatic presence in Islamabad. With Modi vowing to pursue attackers “to the ends of the earth” and past surgical strikes post-Uri and Pulwama, analysts warn India could escalate to military action, especially with elections looming in 2029. Posts on X (@ShamaJunejo) speculate Modi is “preparing for war in May” to rally nationalist sentiment.
Suspending the Indus Waters Treaty is framed by the government as a punitive measure to hold Pakistan accountable. Union Minister CR Paatil claimed it ensures “not a drop of water” reaches Pakistan, aiming to cripple its agriculture, which relies on the Indus system for 80% of its water needs. BJP leader Shagun Parihar called it a “historic decision” to “take revenge” for the victims. However, experts like Pradeep Kumar Saxena, a former Indus Water Commissioner, note that India can now build dams and desilt reservoirs without treaty restrictions, potentially flooding or starving Pakistan’s Punjab during sowing season. While this could pressure Pakistan to curb terrorism, it risks escalating tensions into a full-scale conflict, with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar warning of a “tit-for-tat reply.” For the victims’ families, justice remains elusive—water wars and military posturing may punish Pakistan but won’t undo the intelligence failures that left Baisaran defenseless.
The Pahalgam attack lays bare the gap between Modi and Shah’s election promises and reality. Their narrative of a secure Kashmir, aggressively marketed in 2024, now stands exposed, with 28 families paying the ultimate price. By pivoting to diplomatic and potential military escalation, the government appears to be deflecting from its failures. Will choking Pakistan’s water supply deliver justice, or is it a dangerous gamble that could plunge the subcontinent into war?
As the nation grieves, Modi and Shah owe answers—not just vengeance.