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Last Updated: April 27, 2025, 15:49 IST
Ayesha Khan Faces Criticism for Supporting Controversial Statement on Kashmir
Ayesha Khan has come under significant scrutiny following her apparent endorsement of a contentious social media post regarding Kashmir.
The actress, well-known for her participation in Bigg Boss 17, faces backlash after ‘liking’ a post by Kashmiri writer Jalees Hyder. The post declared that “Indians are not welcome in Kashmir,” igniting a wave of criticism across various social media platforms.
Hyder’s statement, shared on his Instagram account, emphasized the plight of Kashmiris, saying, “I mourn the loss of civilian life, always. But let’s not confuse that grief with the erasure of reality. Kashmir is not your aesthetic escape, your spiritual pitstop, or your Instagrammable paradise. It is the most densely militarized region in the world, and the people who call it home do not live in peace. They live under occupation, under surveillance, under the constant threat of violence, torture, enforced disappearances, and systematic erasure.”
The post further expressed that individuals from India should not trivialize the situation, stating, “As an Endian, you are not welcome in Kashmir to normalize its occupation, to romanticize our pain, or to turn our homeland into a tourist fantasy.” It criticized the portrayal of Kashmir as a picturesque destination without recognizing the harsh realities faced by its inhabitants.
Hyder clarified that, “We are not hostile to visitors; we are hostile to colonizers, to enablers, to those who look at our trauma and call it scenic. We will welcome the world with open arms once Kashmir is free.”
Following Khan’s action, many netizens voiced their displeasure. Comments varied, with one user stating, “They will never choose nation above their faith,” while another called for her removal from the show Dil Ko Rafu Karr Lei. Some users even alerted the Mumbai Police, demanding an investigation into Khan’s actions.
To date, Ayesha Khan has not responded to the mounting criticism directed at her online.
The backdrop of this incident is significant, as India recently suffered a tragic terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals and left many others wounded when gunmen assaulted tourists in Pahalgam. This attack stands as one of the most severe incidents in Jammu and Kashmir’s recent history.
The Pahalgam attack unfolded around 2:30 PM, resulting in devastation for many families. Among the deceased were a young Navy officer, who had just returned from his honeymoon, and an Intelligence Bureau official killed in front of his wife. The tragedy also extended to include two foreign nationals from the UAE and Nepal, alongside local residents.
In response to the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was visiting Saudi Arabia at the time, abbreviated his trip and returned to India to address the situation.
In a public statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister expressed his sorrow regarding the incident. “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir,” he stated. “Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected.”
Assuring the public of justice, he declared, “Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared. Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will only grow stronger.”
Source
www.news18.com