In the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, one section of the India media is hell bent on casting a gloom over the valley by peddling hyperboles regarding the situation in the state. Leading this group is the Radia tapes famed Barkha Dutt who had a string of strange ‘coincidences’ with a Kashmiri migrant currently residing in Pune.

Look at the drama @BDUTT is doing, she was contacted by a muslim guy on twitter & COINCIDENTALLY he met her on his flight to Kashmir & then COINCIDENTALLY she went his home with him & all the filmy drama afterwards. So many masala and COINCIDENCE at one place. PLAIN PROPAGANDA. pic.twitter.com/vo8G4mBqJs — BALA (@erbmjha) August 16, 2019

This Kashmiri man who currently lives and earns in Pune had reportedly contacted Barkha on Twitter seeking her help to know about her diabetic mother’s whereabouts. Coincidently Barkha met this very guy on her flight to Srinagar. Barkha then interviewed the man who claimed that he was profoundly distressed by the government’s move as communication blockade was enforced across the valley and he couldn’t inquire upon his mother’s health.

Barkha then chose to follow the man to his home where she interviewed his father who too toed the familiar liberal line of securing opposition and Kashmiri politicians’ confidence before embarking upon such an audacious move.

Hey @BDUTT We have no sympathy for person who wishes death for India’s PM, Home Minister and to our Indian forces. pic.twitter.com/VVsqcUDUPc — Err (@Gujju_Er) August 16, 2019

A cursory glance at the profile of the supposedly distraught man and his past interactions with Barkha makes one doubt about the veracity of the string of ‘coincidences’ struck by Barkha on her way to Srinagar. Barkha had a series of interactions with this man before, right from 2012. Many Twitter users started questioning the ‘coincidences’ after it was established that Barkha had a long association with the man.

Coincidentally @BDUTT found the person who was started online campaign of #KashExit demanding separation of Kashmir. Coincidentally Barkha knew him from long too. So much coincidence you see 🙂 https://t.co/EwsDryKfGK pic.twitter.com/JFrRZbWHUf — Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) August 16, 2019

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Idrees ul Haq, who ‘coincidentally’ met Barkha on her flight to Srinagar has separatist tendencies. He has run a campaign #KashmirExit demanding separation of Kashmir from the Indian Union. In a Facebook post on August 10, 2019, Idrees had wished death upon PM Modi and Amit Shah for repealing Article 370 and integrating Jammu and Kashmir with the Union.

In light of such revelations, one wonders if these ‘coincidences’ were assiduously engineered moments of serendipity designed to evoke sympathy amongst the masses regarding the plight of Kashmiris. Furthermore, with the dubious credentials, of both Barkha and Idrees, one is compelled to believe that the streak of ‘coincidences’ were no less than a propagandist attempt to tarnish the central government’s momentous decision of revoking Article 370.