Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 23: In a powerful statement delivered at the British Parliament building, Kashmiri activist Yana Mir drew a clear distinction between herself and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai. Mir boldly asserted, “I am not a Malala Yousafzai. I will never have to flee my home country.”
Yana Mir proudly declared that she is free and safe in her home country, India, specifically in her beloved Kashmir, which is an integral part of India.
As Kashmir’s first female vlogger and journalist, she stands firm in her commitment to her homeland.
The world knows the story of Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan’s Swat Valley in 2012. Malala’s courageous defiance of the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education led her to seek refuge in the United Kingdom.
Yana Mir expressed her objection to Malala’s portrayal of India as “oppressed.” She criticized social media “toolkit members” and foreign media for fabricating stories of oppression in Indian Kashmir without firsthand experience. Yana urged everyone to avoid polarizing Indians based on religion and emphasized unity.
Yana Mir hopes that those living in the UK and Pakistan will stop maligning her country. She firmly believes in India’s progress and refuses to let anyone tarnish its image.
“But I object to you, Malala Yousafzai, defaming my country, my progressing homeland, by calling it ‘oppressed’. I object to all such 'toolkit members' on social media and foreign media who never cared to visit Indian Kashmir, but, fabricate stories of 'oppression' from there,” said Yana Mir.
“I urge you all to stop polarising Indians on grounds of religion, we won't allow you to break up us”, added Yana Mir, “I hope our perpetrators living in the UK in Pakistan will stop maligning my country”.
Yana Mir, who is also associated with the Jammu and Kashmir Youth Society, was addressing a “Sankalp Divas” event hosted by the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre UK (JKSC) in the British Parliament building.
She received the Diversity Ambassador Award during the “Sankalp Divas” event hosted by the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre UK (JKSC). The JKSC, a think-tank dedicated to studying the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, recognizes Yana’s efforts in promoting diversity in the region.
Yana Mir’s unwavering commitment to her homeland and her courage in speaking out against misinformation and polarization makes her a distinct voice in the ongoing discourse. |
