In one of the biggest terror attacks in recent times, a CRPF convoy was attacked by Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in Pulwama, Kashmir, where over 40 soldiers were martyred. One of the suicide bombers, Adil Ahmed Dar, in a video which later surfaced referring to Indians as ‘Gae ka peshaab peene wale’ (people who drink cow urine) boasts about the terror attacks carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammad in the past.

Times of India, the largest selling English language newspaper in India, however, decided to downplay the terror attack, and how!

The headline screams ‘Government blames Pak after local youth rams convoy with IED-packed SUV in worst-ever J&K terror strike’. While Times of India got the second part of the headline, where it refers to the terror attack as ‘worst-ever terror strike’, the first part of it is shocking to say the least.

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The fact that Times of India journalist Saleem Pandit chose to refer to the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, even after they have claimed responsibility of the attack, as ‘local youth’ is appalling. The article further reads how the Indian government ‘held Pakistan directly responsible for the attack’. Umm, India didn’t even have to ‘hold’ Pakistan responsible for the attack. Jaish-e-Mohammad, a terror group nurtured and nourished on Pakistan soil, had already claimed responsibility for it within hours of the terror attack.

Pakistan backed Jaish-e-Mohammed claims responsibility for Pulwama IED terror attack, in a text message to Kashmiri News Agency GNS. 12 jawans have lost their lives in the attack pic.twitter.com/X98efDjnrS — ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2019

The above tweet was from 5 pm, following which the number of soldiers martyred has risen up. However, for Times of India’s Saleem Pandit, the terrorists are ‘local youth’. Were these ‘local youths’ on a joyride with 300 kg of explosive and accidentally bumped into CRPF convoy? Is it really that difficult to call terrorists as terrorists?

The subheading of the article is “Accuses it (Pakistan) of supporting Azhar-led JeM”. So, neither the headline, nor the subheading focus on the attack, but on how India is blaming the innocent Pakistan which is highly misunderstood nation.

The article further mentions how while Adil, the local youth turned terrorist went on a joyride with an SUV full of explosives, was alone in the car, he had support of other JeM terrorists who opened fire at the other buses to stop the other soldiers from helping the fellow soldiers. But then, “India pinned the responsibility for the carnage on Pakistan”. Oh, poor Pakistan.

How dare Indian government ask Pakistan, which provides support and infrastructure to let terror camps flourish on its soil, to tackle the issue of homegrown terrorism?

No, Times of India, India has not tried to ‘pin the blame’ on Pakistan. A terror outfit which thrives in that country, with the support of people in power in that country, has claimed responsibility for a terror attack where over 40 Indian soldiers were martyred. These are not ‘local youths’ who are misguided. These are hateful men who have turned terrorists and are trained to kill.

Adil, who rammed the car, joined Jaish-e-Mohammad a year ago. He has released a video where he asks people from Kashmir to come together ‘in the fight against India’. He mocks India by saying how we are ‘misunderstood’ if by killing few of their militant commanders, we have weakened them. He did it for the ‘hoors’ he will get in ‘jannat’ because of his actions.

So, no, he is not a ‘local youth’, he is a terrorist. Have the courage to say it in as many words.