Guwahati: The news of protest demonstrations by Indian diasporas against the Pahalgam terror attack in the Kashmir valley on 22 April 2025, that resulted in the brutal murder of 26 Hindu male tourists, continues pouring. Lately, the Indian community in Italy voiced strong condemnation and deep sorrow following The massacre, allegedly carried out by The Resistance Front, an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which ignited a wave of grief and protest across the Indian diasporas in Europe.
In response, the Indian diasporas organized a peaceful demonstration held at Piazza Santi Apostoli in Rome on 11 May, one of the city’s prominent public squares, to mourn the victims and protest the broader threat of terrorism. The gathering is not only a moment of collective grief but also an emphatic call for justice and international attention to the persistent threat of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan that continues to destabilize the Indian subcontinent.
“We strongly condemn the cowardly act committed by terrorists in Pahalgam, where innocent civilians were killed,” said Man Mohan Singh (Monu Barana), a businessman from Karnal of Haryana, and long-time resident of Terracina. “This attack specifically targeted Hindu pilgrims and tourists. The fact that terrorists ensured their victims were non-Muslim before killing them makes this even more chilling. We demand that the Indian government in New Delhi act firmly and that the perpetrators be brought to justice,” he added.
The concerned community remains vocal in expressing its grief not only over the tragic loss of innocent lives but also about the increasing pattern of extremist violence believed to originate from Pakistan-based terrorist networks. Community leaders fear that the recent attack is part of a broader escalation aimed at undermining peace and pluralism in Jammu & Kashmir and beyond.
“This attack on Hindu pilgrims is a targeted, sectarian act of violence that reflects the continuing use of terrorism as a geopolitical tool,” said Rocky Sharda, an entrepreneur originally from Punjab and now residing in Rome. “Terrorism is a scourge that claims innocent lives in the name of religion. The only way to protect people from tragedies like this is to eliminate terrorism in all its forms—without exception, without compromise,” he asserted.
The demonstration in Rome highlighted the human cost because of these acts and the urgent need for stronger international collaboration in countering terrorism. Organizers have emphasized that the event will focus on remembrance, solidarity, and a demand for global accountability.
New Delhi has already responded with Operation Sindoor, a calibrated military strike on alleged terror camps in Pakistan-occupied territories. The operation, named in tribute to the widows left behind after the Pahalgam attack, was designed to be ‘measured and non-escalatory,’ said the official statements.
As south Asia grapples with the aftermath of the military operation and renewed tensions between India and Pakistan, the international community watches with concern. Though a temporary ‘ceasefire’ has been announced and later breached, there are reports of a US-brokered understanding between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
For Indian expatriates far from home, the events in Kashmir feel immediate and personal. Their message from Rome is clear- terrorism has no place in a civilized world and justice for the victims must be delivered without delays.
