Whitewashing Jihad: Global Media’s Role in Sanitizing Anti-Hindu Terror in Kashmir

• Global left-liberal media whitewashes the Pahalgam terror attacks targeting Hindus, labeling the terrorists as ‘Gunmen” and calling the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir “India-administered Kashmir.”
• The mainstream Indian media also broadly covers Pahalgam terror attacks through the “secular” frame, failing to weave larger historical narratives surrounding anti-Hindu violence in Kashmir in their coverage.
• Global left-liberal media sticks to the time-worn narrative of fuelling secessionist tendencies in Jammu and Kashmir through its reportage even as world leaders unequivocally condemn the Pahalgam “terror attacks.”
• Anti-Hindu brown sahibs of India are in an overdrive mode to further mock and annihilate Hindu suffering and use Pahalgam terror attacks as a vehicle to further their nefarious agenda.

The condition of the Hindu community today reminds one of renowned Hindi satirist Harishankar Parsai’s famous short story “Bheden aur Bhediye” (Sheep and Wolves). The story is set in the animal kingdom, where elections are held. Although the sheep are the majority, the clever wolves use manipulative tactics to present themselves as protectors of all animals and end up winning the election.

While Parsai’s story is often read as a satire on democracy, its symbolism can just as well reflect the plight of the helpless Hindu majority (the sheep), manipulated and led by the cunning left-liberal elite (the wolves) who control the narrative and dominate the system.

The brutality of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir — where Islamist terrorists opened fire at a resort, killing at least 26 and injuring many more — has left the nation shaken. And yet, before the shock could even fully register, the left-liberal ecosystem had already sprung into action, attempting to whitewash the attack with its usual “secular” spin.

Despite eyewitness accounts confirming that Hindus were singled out — forced to reveal their identities, recite the Kalma, and in some cases even stripped to confirm their religion — the mainstream Indian media has conveniently reduced the event to a generic “tourist attack.”[1][2][3]  Western media, true to form, has gone further, portraying the carnage as a random act of violence by a few “gunmen,” erasing the jihadi motive altogether.

Indian celebrities, too, have issued boilerplate statements condemning the violence but have mostly avoided acknowledging the targeted killing of Hindus.

As we explore in the sections ahead, this pattern is not new. The left-liberal cabal’s narrative machinery is working in overdrive to sanitize yet another anti-Hindu terror attack. Once again, Hindus find themselves as the silent sheep while the wolves spin the story, just as in Parsai’s.

Global Media’s War on Truth

Many world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron have strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attacks, categorically condemning “terrorism” without mincing words, many expressing strong support to India to bring the perpetrators to justice.[4]

The global left-liberal media, on the other hand, seems to be inhabiting a parallel universe where terrorists are just “gunmen,” and an obvious act of terror morphs into a ‘suspected act of terror.’

The global left-liberal media, on the other hand, seems to be inhabiting a parallel universe where terrorists are just “gunmen,” and an obvious act of terror morphs into a ‘suspected act of terror.’  Major Western media outlets like BBC, Deutsche Welle, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBC, France 24, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and others have downplayed the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack, using cheap and deceptive tactics that border on mocking the victims. They casually refer to the Islamist terrorists as mere “gunmen,” deliberately diluting the true nature of the attack. These reports also rake up the old Kashmir conflict narrative, repeatedly describing Kashmir as a “disputed territory” between India and Pakistan. In doing so, they subtly suggest that the Pahalgam massacre should not be viewed purely as a terrorist attack but rather as just another unfortunate incident in the broader and supposedly routine cycle of the Indo-Pak conflict over Kashmir.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these headlines.

• BBC: More than 20 killed after gunmen open fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.[5]
• Deutsche Welle: Tourists killed by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir.[6]
• The Washington Post: Gunmen launch rare attack on gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir.[7]
• CBC: Gunmen kill more than two dozen people in Kashmiri tourist town.[8]
• The Guardian: At least 26 tourists killed by suspected militants in Kashmir attack. [9]
• Al Jazeera: Attack on tourists kills 26 in Indian-administered Kashmir: Police[10]
• The New York Times: At Least 24 Tourists Gunned Down by Militants in Kashmir.[11]

Apart from addressing terrorists as “gunmen,” a predominant trend in many such news reports is the reference to Jammu and Kashmir as “Indian-administered Kashmir.” The left-liberal media has always covered Kashmir through the lens of “Islamic separatism,” creating a soft corner for the Jihadi machinery, portraying the Indian state as tyrannical, one that supposedly doesn’t respect the will of the Kashmiri people.

The Western media coverage of the 2024 elections in Jammu and Kashmir also falls into similar patterns of portraying the Indian state as an “oppressor” and using incendiary rhetoric to fuel secessionist tendencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Utter disillusionment: Kashmir sees first election since 2014 as chance to reject Modi”, reads a September 2024 The Guardian headline. “It is not only the first time since 2014 that Kashmiris will be able to vote for their own regional representatives but is also the first vote since the region was stripped of its statehood by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, says the piece. “Voters in the state described the upcoming polls as an opportunity to finally get back their voice after years of having their democratic rights silenced. The Modi government had resisted holding the polls, but it was finally mandated by the Supreme Court earlier this year, with a September deadline”, it says further.

It’s not hard to see that the real purpose of this article is to suggest that the Indian government violated the rights of Kashmiris by abrogating Article 370 and that the people should now “take revenge” by voting against the government. This kind of reporting is a typical example of how Western media deliberately overlooks facts, interferes in India’s internal affairs, and shows unusual interest in its domestic politics. It is no coincidence that while these outlets talk about the “rights” of Kashmiris, they remain completely silent about the 1990s genocide and mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley.[12]

The same pattern of Hinduphobia and covert support for the jihadist terror network is evident in the global left-liberal media’s coverage of the Pahalgam terror attacks. German broadcaster DW hits a new low in its reporting[13], notably highlighting that “India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the shooting a ‘terror attack,’ which also left several people injured.” Perhaps DW should do some basic homework and realize that many world leaders — including those from the West, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz[14] — have also condemned the attack and clearly called it a terrorist attack. Adding to its biased framing, DW uses another peculiar term to describe the terrorists, stating that “anti-Indian rebels in the Muslim-majority region have waged an insurgency since 1989.”

Hey, @nytimes, we fixed it for you. This was a TERRORIST ATTACK plain and simple. Whether it’s India or Israel, when it comes to TERRORISM the NYT is removed from reality” – US House Foreign Affairs Committee

The Washington Post coverage[15] attempts to showcase the Pahalgam terror attacks as an example of the Indian government’s supposed failure in handling the Kashmir issue rather than reporting on the attacks. “The Indian government has recently sought to showcase Kashmir’s newfound stability and rising tourism numbers and has cracked down harshly on dissent in the Muslim-majority enclave, but it has been unable to fully stamp out separatist violence,” says the write-up.

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority slammed The New York Times for whitewashing the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. In a major embarrassment for the publication, a screenshot of their coverage of the Pahalgam terror attack was reportedly shared from the x handle of the Committee along with the comment, ” Hey, @nytimes, we fixed it for you. This was a TERRORIST ATTACK plain and simple. Whether it’s India or Israel, when it comes to TERRORISM the NYT is removed from reality“.[16] [17]

Whitewashing Anti-Hindu Nature of the Attacks

The Western media has completely ignored the anti-Hindu nature of the Pahalgam terror attacks. As discussed earlier, these outlets show clear hesitation even in labeling the violence as a “terror attack,” instead portraying it as just another incident in the broader India-Pakistan conflict. Given their long track record of anti-Hindu rhetoric and biased posturing, expecting them to honestly acknowledge these attacks as targeted anti-Hindu violence would be, at best, naïve.

However, even sections of the mainstream Indian media appeared reluctant to call the Pahalgam attacks what they were — anti-Hindu violence. Apart from a few niche outlets like  Organiser[18], Swarajya[19], and OpIndia[20], most Indian publications avoided highlighting the communal nature of the attacks in their headlines. Initial reports in major English-language outlets like Hindustan Times[21], Times of India[22], India Today[23], and others simply stated that “terrorists” had opened fire on “tourists,” without mentioning that radical Islamic terrorists specifically targeted Hindus. Only after multiple eyewitness accounts surfaced on television, communal targeting began to be acknowledged in mainstream coverage.

Indian English media, for the most part, seems to follow the left-liberal template when reporting on such incidents. While they do label it as a “terror attack” and include firsthand witness accounts, they stop short of framing the incident as what it was — a planned, anti-Hindu jihadi attack. While the attacks are labeled as “terrorism,” most reports fail to explain the deeper realities: the role of Islamic indoctrination, the systematic Islamization of Kashmir, and the violent exclusion of Kashmiri Pandits.

Meanwhile, rabidly anti-Hindu platforms like Youth Ki Awaaz have stooped even lower by shamelessly playing the “Muslim victim” card.[24] It defies logic, but this inversion of reality is typical of the radical left-liberal media. In a piece titled “Kashmir — Integral Part, But Not Integral People,” the writer attacks Republic TV founder Arnab Goswami, accusing him of “hateful vitriol” and “calls to genocide” — all while ignoring the actual genocide that Hindu civilians faced at Pahalgam.

Instead of addressing the cold, hard fact that jihadi terrorists deliberately targeted Hindus, the writer obsesses over demonizing any political voice that dares to speak up for Hindu rights.

Hiding behind the mask of “secularism,” they [the left-liberal media] distort narratives, label all criticism as “Islamophobia,” silence debate, and erase the reality of targeted anti-Hindu violence from public discourse.

An article published by Outlook titled “Terror Has No Religion” serves as yet another example of how mainstream media whitewashes the anti-Hindu nature of Islamist terror, albeit with a veneer of sophistication. By repeating the overused and misleading claim that “terror has no religion,” the piece hides behind the façade of journalistic “neutrality” and so-called ethical reporting to justify its refusal to acknowledge the communal targeting of Hindus in the Pahalgam attack. The write-up reads less like serious journalism and more like an awkward attempt at virtue signaling. Statements such as “We decided to be discerning in what we put out there in terms of quotes… We won’t fuel communal rage” are used to rationalize the omission of key facts — namely, that the terrorists intentionally targeted Hindus based on their religious identity. [25]

The extreme virtue signaling of the left-liberal media promotes another dangerous misconception — that criticizing radical Islamic extremism is the same as attacking Islam or its followers as a whole. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Criticizing Islamist terrorism is not an attack on ordinary Muslims or their faith and practices. However, the left-liberal media deliberately blurs this distinction. Hiding behind the mask of “secularism,” they distort narratives, label all criticism as “Islamophobia,” silence debate, and erase the reality of targeted anti-Hindu violence from public discourse.

Brown Sahibs: The Merchants of Hindu Gaslighting

The self-anointed brigade of “Indian intellectuals” afflicted by the anti-Hindu left-liberal syndrome comes in several categories. At the top are the elite opinion-makers, nurtured and groomed by the post-independence Nehruvian establishment. Enjoying significant influence and a loyal following within civil society, they are perhaps the most dangerous of the lot. In his book Modi vs Khan Market Gang, veteran journalist Ashok Shrivastav offers an insider’s account of the corrupt workings of this so-called “Khan Market Gang” or “Lutyens’ elite,” drawing from his firsthand experiences covering key national issues. In the final chapter, aptly titled “Gang ke Block-Buster,” Shrivastav names some of these “intellectuals,” providing detailed factual accounts that expose their consistent anti-India agenda.[26]

The names mentioned by Shrivastav in the book can be seen whitewashing the communal agenda of the Pahalgam terror attacks through their social media narratives. “Terror has no religion” is the classic refrain of this brigade, cunningly turning attention from the root of the cause and thus covertly creating space for even more vile and vicious anti-Hindu hatred and violence. For example, one such “intellectual” exposed by the book, Jawahar Sircar, wrote the following X post:

“Those killed at Pahalgam were not Hindus or Muslims but Indians. They were killed by wild beasts who deserve to be shot like them”. [27]

To the thoroughly brainwashed Indian “secular” mind, nothing about this post seems problematic. But the fact remains that the likes of Sircar peddle a nefarious agenda by using the rhetoric of secularism to gaslight the anti-Hindu nature of incidents like Pahalgam terror attacks, in the process also manufacturing another vicious narrative that talking explicitly about Hindu suffering is antithetical to the idea of India as a nation.

Social media is flooded with calculated and insensitive posts by India’s so-called “brown sahibs” — elites for whom the terror killings of Hindus seem to be just another opportunity to push their toxic narratives.

Social media is flooded with calculated and insensitive posts by India’s so-called “brown sahibs” — elites for whom the terror killings of Hindus seem to be just another opportunity to push their toxic narratives. Anti-Hindu propagandist Rana Ayyub’s X (formerly Twitter) timeline is a case in point, filled with posts aimed solely at discrediting anyone highlighting the communal motive behind the Pahalgam terror attacks. By selectively sharing stories of a few victims who were allegedly helped by locals, Ayyub cleverly uses these isolated accounts to downplay and distort the brutal reality that Hindus were deliberately targeted and killed because of their religious identity.

“The families and survivors of the Pahalgam victims speak with grace – the language of peace, reconciliation, and respect for Kashmiris. It’s those exploiting their pain who are using this tragedy to fuel anti-Muslim hate and playing vile, divisive politics.”[28]

 Another absurd narrative circulating on social media claims that the Pahalgam attack is unusual because, historically, terrorists in Kashmir have never targeted tourists — as if it is somehow acceptable for laborers and workers from other Indian states to be killed, but not tourists since they contribute to the local economy. Even sections of the media are filled with reports lamenting the potential losses to Kashmir’s tourism industry after the attacks, with barely any focus on the actual human tragedy.

Making Hindu Lives Matter

A long-term social, cultural, and political movement is urgently needed to completely transform the perception of Hindu issues. Only a reawakening from within Hindu society, coupled with serious self-introspection and strong institutional reforms, can counter and ultimately defeat the anti-Hindu left-liberal cabal that seeks to undermine Hindu identity.

Here is a 10-point charter to ensure that Hindu lives truly matter:

1. Hindus must become politically active, participating robustly in democratic processes.
2. New political parties focusing exclusively on Hindu issues must emerge and be strengthened.
3. Hindus must not hesitate to take to the streets peacefully to make their voices heard.
4. Strong local community networks and support groups must be built to foster resilience.
5. Temples must be revitalized as centers of Vedic learning and safe spaces for dialogue on Hindu issues.
6. All Hindus should actively use social media to expose media bias and misrepresentation.
7. Online community support systems must be developed to counter bullying, harassment, and intimidation by the left-liberal-Islamist nexus.
8. Hindus must stay vigilant against predatory proselytization tactics and monitor fraudulent conversions in their local areas.
9. Hindu advocacy groups must organize sensitization workshops to educate the community about threats to their existence.
10. While reforming the mainstream education system is a government responsibility, the Hindu community must independently educate its people about the cultural and civilizational ethos of Sanatan Dharma.

Citations

[1] Hindus selectively targeted in Pahalgam terror attack: The handiwork of the ideological progenies of Aurangzeb;  https://www.opindia.com/2025/04/hindus-stripped-killed-after-confirming-identity-how-barbaric-aurangzeb-ki-aulaad-is-responsible-for-palgham-terror-attack/

[2] Terrorists Asked Hindu Tourist To Recite Kalma, Shot In Head For Refusing: Pahalgam Victim’s Cousin | Republic World;   https://www.republicworld.com/india/terrorists-asked-hindu-tourist-to-recite-kalma-shot-on-his-dead-for-refusing-asked-to-go-tell-modi-pahalgam-victim-s-cousin

[3] Pahalgam attack: Terrorists checked IDs, pulled down pants to verify religion, eyewitnesses recount horror | India News – India TV;   https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/pahalgam-attack-terrorists-checked-ids-pulled-down-pants-to-verify-religion-eyewitnesses-recount-horror-2025-04-23-986863

[4] “Barbaric”: From France, Italy To China – World Leaders Condemn J & K Attack;  https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-world-leaders-condemn-j-k-attack-from-us-france-italy-russia-china-8234952

[5]  At least 5 killed after gunmen open fire on tourists in Kashmir;  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9vyzzyjzlo

[6] Tourists killed by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir – DW – 04/22/2025;  https://www.dw.com/en/tourists-killed-by-gunmen-in-indian-administered-kashmir/a-72312044

[7] Gunmen launch rare attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir – The Washington Post;  https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/22/india-kashmir-tourist-terrorist-baisaran/

[8] Gunmen kill more than two dozen people in Kashmiri tourist town | CBC News; https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/kashmir-pahalgam-deadly-attack-1.7515399

[9]  At least 26 tourists killed by suspected militants in Kashmir attack | Kashmir | The Guardian;  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/22/tourists-killed-by-suspected-militants-in-kashmir-attack

[10] Attack on tourists kills 26 in Indian-administered Kashmir: Police | News | Al Jazeera;  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/22/gunmen-open-fire-on-tourists-in-indian-administered-kashmir

 [11] At Least 24 Tourists Gunned Down by Militants in Kashmir – The New York Times; https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/world/asia/kashmir-terrorist-attack.html

[12] ‘Utter disillusionment’: Kashmir sees first election since 2014 as chance to reject Modi | Kashmir | The Guardian;    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/18/kashmir-election-modi-india

[13] Tourists killed by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir – DW – 04/22/2025; https://www.dw.com/en/tourists-killed-by-gunmen-in-indian-administered-kashmir/a-72312044

[14] What world leaders said after militant attack in India’s Kashmir | Reuters; https://www.reuters.com/world/india/what-world-leaders-said-after-militant-attack-indias-kashmir-2025-04-23/

[15]Gunmen launch rare attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir – The Washington Post;    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/22/india-kashmir-tourist-terrorist-baisaran/

[16] US Foreign Affairs Committee fact checks New York Times for its attempt to whitewash Pahalgam terrorist attack;    https://www.opindia.com/2025/04/us-house-foreign-affairs-committee-slams-new-york-times-for-whitewashing-pahalgam-terror-attack/

[17] House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority on X;   https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1914843415793095043

[18] Islamist terror strikes again; Hindus singled out and slaughtered;   https://organiser.org/2025/04/23/288676/bharat/pahalgam-massacre-islamist-terror-strikes-again-hindus-singled-out-and-slaughtered-in-kashmir/

[19] At Least 20 Tourists Killed In Pahalgam, ‘Were  Shot For Not Being Muslim’: What We Know So Far About J & K Terror Attack; https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/at-least-20-tourists-killed-in-pahalgam-were-shot-for-not-being-muslim-what-we-know-so-far-about-jk-terror-attack

[20] Hindus selectively targeted in Pahalgam terror attack: The handiwork of the ideologies progenies of Aurangzeb;  https://www.opindia.com/2025/04/hindus-stripped-killed-after-confirming-identity-how-barbaric-aurangzeb-ki-aulaad-is-responsible-for-palgham-terror-attack/

[21] Pahalgam terror attack: Businessman from Raipur killed on his wedding anniversary – Hindustan Times;  https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/pahalgam-terror-attack-businessman-from-raipur-killed-on-his-wedding-anniversary-101745385648029.html

[22] Pahalgam terror attack: 26 killed, including foreigners, locals & navy officer | India News – The Times of India;  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/gunshots-heard-in-pahalgam-tourist-resort-in-jks-anantnag-district/articleshow/120515935.cms

[23] Pahalgam terror attack: Check full of victims and deceased – India Today;  https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pahalgam-terror-attack-kashmir-full-list-of-victims-released-2713232-2025-04-23

[24] Kashmir – Integral Part, But Not Integral People;  https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2025/04/integral-part-but-not-integral-people/

[25] Pahalgam Attack: Terror Has No Religion;  https://www.outlookindia.com/national/jk-pahalgam-attack-terror-has-no-religion

[26] Modi vs Khan Market Gang by Ashok Shrivastav, p.289-295

[27]  Jawahar Sircar on X;  https://x.com/jawharsircar/status/1915029552352420108/photo/1

[28] Rana Ayyub on X; https://x.com/RanaAyyub/status/1915407509017203011?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet