Guwahati, May 5: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday criticised advocates of the ‘Aman Ki Asha’ initiative in India, calling their calls for peace with Pakistan a betrayal of the country. His remarks came amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists.
In a post shared on social media platform X, Sarma alleged that while India allows open discussions on peace with Pakistan, similar expressions in Pakistan are treated as criminal acts. He said romanticising Pakistan while enjoying the freedoms of India reflects “ignorance at best, hypocrisy at worst.”
“To those in India who continue to preach ‘Aman Ki Asha’ without grasping the ground reality – understand this: In Pakistan, talking about peace with India is treated as a crime. In India, talking about peace with Pakistan is tolerated, debated, even promoted on mainstream platforms,” he stated.
Sarma accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of closely monitoring individuals who express pro-India views, including students, activists, and journalists. He claimed that such individuals are placed on watchlists, while the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) censors content viewed as favourable to India, including hashtags promoting peace.
He further alleged that under Pakistan’s cybercrime law – the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) – people are arrested under broad charges such as “anti-state” or “glorifying the enemy” for posting peaceful or balanced content. Sarma added that individuals have been imprisoned, tortured, or disappeared for expressing such views, especially among Baloch, Pashtun, and Sindhi communities.
The Chief Minister also said those supporting peace in Pakistan face threats, social boycotts, and are labelled as traitors.
Sarma’s statement comes as Assam Police continue action against those making alleged pro-Pakistan remarks. As of Thursday, 36 individuals had been arrested in the state in connection with such comments following the Pahalgam attack.
