The Crossbill News Desk
The deadly terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday, which left 26 people dead—most of them domestic tourists—has drawn nationwide condemnation, with calls for unity and a coordinated response. Opposition leaders have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting in the wake of the tragedy.
However, the BJP’s Chhattisgarh social media handle drew severe criticism after posting an AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style image of one of the attack victims.
The image, captioned “Dharm poocha, jaati nahi” (Asked religion, not caste), sparked outrage for what opposition leaders called a display of “zero empathy” amid a national tragedy.
The post was initially deleted but reuploaded on Wednesday, prompting backlash from several political leaders.
Samajwadi Party chief and Lok Sabha MP Akhilesh Yadav strongly condemned the move, accusing the BJP of politicizing grief.
“This post reflects BJP’s utter insensitivity,” Yadav said in a statement on X.
“Even their staunch supporters will not forgive such a heartless act. The BJP never misses an opportunity to turn a disaster into a political stage.”
He added that the tragedy could have been avoided if the government had taken lessons from previous terror incidents and ramped up security accordingly.
Yadav further appealed to BJP leaders to recognize the grief of the bereaved families.
“I urge the insensitive members of the BJP to reflect on the pain of the families who have lost their loved ones. At the very least, the security of the nation should not be reduced to a false slogan. This is a time of profound sorrow, and the BJP must refrain from trivializing it through token meetings and performative gestures,” Yadav said.
CPI(M) leader Sanjay Parate also condemned the BJP’s post. “How can anyone trivialize such a tragedy? That post reflects a disturbing mindset,” Parate told The Crossbill.
He added, “While this Pakistan-sponsored attack must be unequivocally condemned, it also underscores repeated intelligence failures and a broader policy collapse in Kashmir. Rather than addressing these failures, the BJP and its affiliates are using the tragedy to push polarizing narratives around religion and nationalism—clearly with an eye on upcoming state elections.”
Yet, amid the political controversy, Parate highlighted a hopeful sign—the collective response from the people of Kashmir.
“There has been an extraordinary display of unity across the Valley,” he said.
“Parties from all ideological backgrounds, along with the public, condemned the attack. The peaceful shutdown observed across the region sent a powerful message: Kashmiris reject violence and attempts at communal division.”
The episode has reignited debates on political decorum in the face of national tragedy, with critics accusing the ruling party of prioritizing optics over empathy.
However, the BJP’s Chhattisgarh social media handle drew severe criticism after posting an AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style image of one of the attack victims.
The image, captioned “Dharm poocha, jaati nahi” (Asked religion, not caste), sparked outrage for what opposition leaders called a display of “zero empathy” amid a national tragedy.
The post was initially deleted but reuploaded on Wednesday, prompting backlash from several political leaders.
धर्म पूछा, जाति नहीं...#Pahalgam#PahalgamTerroristAttack pic.twitter.com/yekBB0woL8
— BJP Chhattisgarh (@BJP4CGState) April 23, 2025
Samajwadi Party chief and Lok Sabha MP Akhilesh Yadav strongly condemned the move, accusing the BJP of politicizing grief.
“This post reflects BJP’s utter insensitivity,” Yadav said in a statement on X.
“Even their staunch supporters will not forgive such a heartless act. The BJP never misses an opportunity to turn a disaster into a political stage.”
He added that the tragedy could have been avoided if the government had taken lessons from previous terror incidents and ramped up security accordingly.
Yadav further appealed to BJP leaders to recognize the grief of the bereaved families.
“I urge the insensitive members of the BJP to reflect on the pain of the families who have lost their loved ones. At the very least, the security of the nation should not be reduced to a false slogan. This is a time of profound sorrow, and the BJP must refrain from trivializing it through token meetings and performative gestures,” Yadav said.
CPI(M) leader Sanjay Parate also condemned the BJP’s post. “How can anyone trivialize such a tragedy? That post reflects a disturbing mindset,” Parate told The Crossbill.
He added, “While this Pakistan-sponsored attack must be unequivocally condemned, it also underscores repeated intelligence failures and a broader policy collapse in Kashmir. Rather than addressing these failures, the BJP and its affiliates are using the tragedy to push polarizing narratives around religion and nationalism—clearly with an eye on upcoming state elections.”
Yet, amid the political controversy, Parate highlighted a hopeful sign—the collective response from the people of Kashmir.
“There has been an extraordinary display of unity across the Valley,” he said.
“Parties from all ideological backgrounds, along with the public, condemned the attack. The peaceful shutdown observed across the region sent a powerful message: Kashmiris reject violence and attempts at communal division.”
The episode has reignited debates on political decorum in the face of national tragedy, with critics accusing the ruling party of prioritizing optics over empathy.
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