Voices of sanity as anger simmers

There is a flip side to social media on account of which it occasionally gets brickbats for becoming a platform for vitriolic content.

But it can also become a lifeline for citizens in distress, with help forthcoming from the most unlikely quarter.

Kashmiri students and traders living outside their state found that out when voices of sanity from all over offered refuge to them – just in case they were feeling out of place with a groundswell of anger building against them.

Among them was journalist Rajdeep Sardesai who tweeted: Want to tell any Kashmiri student out there, if you are being targeted in any manner, feel free to call/DM me. My home and heart is open to you as are that of thousands of right thinking Indians. Let’s fight forces of violence together: you don’t have to bear the cross of terror.

There were many others; take this tweet, for instance: If any #Kashmiri is facing problem in #Delhi. Connect with me. My place is open. You can stay with me and I cook reasonably well. In case I can’t, I’ll get you someplace else.

An injured man, whom an angry mob attacked, believing him to be a Kashmiri who had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans, is shielded by policemen. There were stray incidents on Friday and Saturday of Kashmiri students being harassed and served eviction notices by landlords – mostly in north India.