The Victims Called the Kashmiri Pandits

Oftentimes when people protested against the thuggish violence perpetrated by right wing Saffron brigades -- RSS and its sister organisations -- there is a question raised: Where were you when the Kashmiri Pandits, who are Hindu, were threatened, killed and expelled from their homes in Kashmir by terrorists from the Kashmir valley? 

In the Kashmir valley, the crime was committed by the gun wielding militant groups. They may call themselves freedom fighters, but because of the way they deliberately and systematically terrorize civilians they have to be labelled terrorist. So the crime against the Kashmiri pandits were committed by these terrorists. 

But what about the thuggish violence committed by the Saffron brigades? What about murdering a Muslim based on rumour that this man consumed beef, when later reported says that what he ate was mutton? This crime was not committed by terrorists. They targeted an innocent men, but they were not using guns to commit the crime. 

In the former case, it's the army that must do the fighting. In the latter case, it is the police that must do the fighting. In the former case, people support the fight by paying taxation to the government that supports the army to do the fighting. The government was fighting against the terrorists, and therefore there was no point of raising voice to urge the government to do much more. In the latter case, those thuggish violence are being committed by those who apparently has the tacit support of the political leadership. This is the reason voices are being raised to rein in such criminal actions. This is the reason why the government is being urged to stop this violence. This is the reason the government is being asked to respect the Constitution. 

On both counts --exodus of Hindu Kashmiri Pandits and Dadri murder of a Muslim -- certain people are victimised. The difference lies in the one who victimises the smaller community. And since the parties that committed the crime are different, voices are being raised differently. In the former case, the crime is being committed by the terrorist and the response to that is to let the army fight; in the latter case, the saffron brigades are responsible and therefore the government is urged to restrain them. In the former case, it is the action of paying taxation that is being done to protest; in the latter case, it is verbal expression that is being made to protest.