Defiant Declaration: Kashmiri activist Yana rejects comparison to Malala Yousafzai

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."

Pride in Homeland: Yana Mir's Declaration

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.

Objection to misrepresentation

Yana Mir objected 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".

Recognition and Award

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 regional diversity.

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.

JKSC hosts Sankalp Divas in the British Parliament building

The Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre UK (JKSC), a research-focused think-tank dedicated to Jammu and Kashmir studies, hosted a "Sankalp Divas" event at the Houses of Parliament complex in London to commemorate a significant resolution concerning the Indian Union territory.

The event commemorated the unanimous resolution passed by both Houses of the Indian Parliament on February 22, 1994. This resolution reaffirmed India's steadfast stance that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. It also emphasized India's rightful claim to Mirpur-Muzaffarabad and Gilgit and Baltistan, regions affected by Pakistani aggression.

The JKSC UK stated, "All the parliamentarians expressed their appreciation for the shared insights and encouraged the continuation of such events to unveil the ground realities of Jammu and Kashmir, a perspective often absent from the mainstream narrative. They stressed the importance of ongoing interactions on this subject.".