Today, on Martyr’s Day, I want to talk about the way I was invalidated after I opened up about the trauma my family faced in Kashmir as Hindus. This entails gaslighting, whataboutery, ad-hominem attacks and denial of my experiences. As a Kashmiri Indian Hindu, I have had enough.

“Your narrative doesn’t count”. My question is: Why? When I talk about the ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Kashmir, I am told “Where is your proof?”. “You’re not telling the truth”. People don’t ask for proof from Jewish people on the Holocaust or Black Americans about slavery.

When I speak up about the history of Kashmir, I’m told that I’m lying. That Hindus magically left their home and faith. There’s a place in Kashmir called Battamazar: So many Hindus were killed that a visible island was formed. But I’m told it’s all a lie? Why would we lie?

I’ve even been told I cannot go back home because there is no room for me. How is that ok? There’s no room? An area with that much land mass, and there’s no room for indigenous Hindus to go back? Even after war, Hindus and Muslims co-existed. Is peaceful coexistence that hard?

Another KP and I even been told that my people should be wiped out. That we should be killed. Because we are Kashmiri Hindus. Because we’re Indian. Was my grandpa’s murder not enough? They want us gone too?

StandwithKashmir advocates for a Free Kashmir and release of all prisoners from jail. The same prisoners who are affiliated with Al-Qaeda. The same “Free Kashmir” was promised to Hindus and Muslims alike in 1931-1990; It fueled 3 genocides on Hindus. Yet people support this org?

“What about Kashmiri Muslims?”. This is analogous to saying “all lives matter” to the BLM movement. I’m not denying that there are instances where KM’s are abused: 22 civilians died this year. To say that in response to me saying “KPs have been killed for 700 years” really hurts.

The Indian Army has been in Kashmir since 1947 because Pakistan sent troops to kill Kashmiris when Kashmir wanted freedom. In defense, Kashmir asked India for help. Kashmir’s prince signed the Treaty of Annexation to join India. But “it’s illegally occupied” according to media.

What about the KM’s? You should talk to the KM’s in Pakistan’s Kashmir. Oh wait, less than 10% are left. The other 90% are Punjabi or those who speak Pihari. Not Kashmiri. 99% of Indian Kashmir are KM’s. The media only talks about India though. Why the selective outrage?

Even after resolutions 47 and 51 by the UN, a plebiscite hasn’t occurred. The first step for peace was for Pakistan to remove troops, then India. Still stuck on step 1. The Indian Army was sent to kill terrorists; 140 terrorists died this year. A 40% drop in terror activity.

I’ve even seen Hasan Minhaj and Malala ignore our plight, and just say “lack of autonomy”. The autonomy in question was temporary, it was also anti-women, anti-LBGT, and it was pro-child marriage. If you think removing article 370 was an issue, you’re part of the problem.

People deny what happened in Kashmir because Kashmir is a Muslim-majority area within a Hindu majority country. Article 370 is what prevented minorities from protection. We suffered our fate as minorities. Hindus in India could not help us, the political system worked against us.

I’m a direct descendant of those who survived seven genocides. My birth is an anomaly. Every day, I speak Kashmiri with my parents and reminisce of their time in Kashmir. That’s all I have left. When we visited Kashmir in 2015, my mom held back tears. I was a visitor in my home.

It hurts, every day. Even writing this just pains me. I know for a fact people will read this and deny this all. I don’t get why. My ancestors were raped, raw cow meat stuffed in their mouths, thrown into ablaze barns. But speaking about it is so controversial. Why?

All of us talk about advocating for love and pluralism, but how can we achieve that without acknowledging the roots of hatred that led to the destruction of such a cultured advanced society in Kashmir? I know the truth is bitter, but is it that hard to accept it?