Lyricist and screenwriter Manoj Muntashir Shukla released a powerful video on X (formerly Twitter) in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 that claimed 26 lives. Condemning the incident, he appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a strong retaliatory response, saying the time for symbolic reactions was over.
“Muslim ho? Accha… kalma padkar sunao. Nahi aata hai? Hindu ho. Badhai ho ki yeh goliyan aapke kisi apne ko nahi lagi.”
“Are you Muslim? Okay… then recite the Kalma. Can’t do it? So you’re Hindu. Congratulations that these bullets didn’t hit one of your own.”
“Pahalgam mein aapka koi beta ya bhai nahi mara gaya. Lekin kitne din bachoge?”
“No one you know died in Pahalgam. But how long will you stay safe?”
Muntashir warned that this violence isn’t confined to Kashmir.
“Kashmir nahi jaoge to Murshidabad mein mare jaoge, Kolkata mein mare jaoge, Godhra, Delhi, aur Muzaffarnagar mein mare jaoge.”
“If not Kashmir, you’ll be killed in Murshidabad, Kolkata, Godhra, Delhi, or Muzaffarnagar.”
He questioned the public’s silence and challenged their passivity.
“Agar tumne tay hi kar liya hai ki tum sher nahi bakre ho to katne ko tayyar raho.”
“If you’ve decided you’re not lions but goats, be ready for slaughter.”
“Har Har Mahadev bolkar tum ek to ho nahi sakte. To Allahu Akbar bolkar ghutne hi tek do.”
“You can’t even unite with a ‘Har Har Mahadev’. Then just bow down saying ‘Allahu Akbar’.”
“Kalma walma hi seekh lo. Jaan to bach jaayegi. Sir to dhad se alag nahi hoga.”
“At least learn the Kalma. Maybe your life will be spared, your head won’t be severed.”
Calling out keyboard warriors, he said:
“Bura lag raha hai na? Ungliyan machal rahi hain comment mein gaali dene ke liye.”
“Feeling angry? Your fingers are itching to abuse me in the comments, aren’t they?”
“Jitni ye ungliyan machal rahi hain, agar tumhari bhujayein utni phadakti to 25 nirdosh Hindu yun nahi marte.”
“If your arms moved as much as your fingers do, 25 innocent Hindus wouldn’t have died like this.”
On liberal arguments that terrorism has no religion, he retorted:
“Ye jo Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb ka card jeb mein liye ghoomte ho, dikha dete Pahalgam mein.”
“You carry the card of Ganga-Jamuni culture in your pocket—why didn’t you flash it in Pahalgam?”
“Aur suno, ye to kehna hi mat ki aatankwad ka koi mazhab nahi hota.”
“And don’t you dare say terrorism has no religion.”
“Ye Instagram ke reels dekh kar jo liberal gyaan jaaga hai na, meri nazar mein uski value do take ki bhi nahi hai.”
“That liberal wisdom born from watching Instagram reels is worth nothing to me.”
Finally, he made a fierce appeal to the Prime Minister:
“Pradhanmantri kisi rashtra ke liye pita swaroop hota hai.”
“A Prime Minister is like a father figure to the nation.”
“Aapke bachchon ka khoon baha hai. Aapke ghar ki betiyan vidhwa hui hain.”
“Your children’s blood has been spilled. Your household’s daughters are widowed.”
“Aap lenge pratishodh. Aapko lena hi hoga.”
“You will take revenge. You must.”
“Is baar encounter mein chaar keenchue maar kar humara pratishodh poora nahi hoga.”
“This time, killing four worms in an encounter won’t be enough.”
“Humein Pakistani sena ke kate hue sir chahiyein.”
“We want the severed heads of the Pakistani army.”
“Activate kijiye Line of Control. Ghus jaiye POK mein. Bata dijiye Pakistan ko baap kaun hai?”
“Activate the Line of Control. Enter PoK. Tell Pakistan who their father is.”
Muntashir’s post has since gone viral, striking a chord with many online users and sparking debate across political lines. While some praised his blunt honesty, others criticized his tone and language.
ये वीडियो मैं कभी नहीं बनाना चाहता था!#PahalgamTerroristAttack #pahalgamattack pic.twitter.com/wtxsrvKFzk
— Manoj Muntashir Shukla (@manojmuntashir) April 23, 2025
The video has sparked widespread discussion online, with many echoing Muntashir’s demand for tougher measures in response to cross-border terrorism.
The government has yet to officially respond to Muntashir’s statement, but nationwide anger and grief continue to mount in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy.
