Harmony in the face of atrocities

This may be the first time, when the people of India demonstrated a collective condemnation of an incident without making any group or community responsible. Instead, Hindus and Muslims worked together to help the victims indiscriminately.

According to media reports, Indian Muslims queued for hours on Wednesday, July 13, to donate blood for the Hindu victims. Without any fear or panic they demonstrated a high-level of harmony and sympathy with the majority Hindu population. Similarly, there has not been any reaction witnessed from any extremist Hindu elements. The leaders of the opposition BJP also asked people to remain calm and unite and help the administration to bring back life to normal.

Notably, the Indian media has also played a vital role in bonding people together after the incident. In particular the TV media, viewed in both India and Pakistan, showed live interviews of people from various backgrounds boosting the public’s positive image and publicising condemnation without blaming any party, group, community or state.

If there is any force that will maintain pressure on the governments of India and Pakistan to come to the negotiating table to resolve their issues, it is the people of India and Pakistan.

Whoever is behind these attacks and whatever their motivations, the people of India must remain positive, peaceful and non-violent. The media’s positive role will not only help the people of India to remain peaceful but also promote positive thoughts regarding their geopolitical issues with neighbouring Pakistan.