NCW defends Lt Vinay Narwal’s wife, condemns online trolling over her call for communal harmony
New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has strongly condemned the online abuse directed at Himanshi Narwal, wife of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in south Kashmir. The attack claimed 26 lives, including several tourists.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Himanshi Narwal made a public appeal for peace and communal harmony, urging citizens not to target Muslims and Kashmiris. Her statement, however, drew a barrage of criticism and trolling on social media platforms.
Responding to the online backlash, the NCW issued an official statement on X (formerly Twitter), calling the criticism “unfortunate” and urging citizens to maintain civility in public discourse. “After the death of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, the way his wife Himanshi Narwal is being criticised on social media in relation to one of her statements is unfortunate,” the commission stated.
Acknowledging that Himanshi’s appeal for harmony may not resonate with all amid a period of national mourning, the NCW stressed that dissent must remain within constitutional bounds and should not infringe upon individual rights. “It is not right to troll a woman on the basis of her ideological expression or personal life,” the commission noted.
Reports suggest that Lt Narwal was asked about his religion before being shot during the attack, a detail that has intensified public anger. Despite the grief, Himanshi Narwal urged restraint. “We do not want people going after Muslims and Kashmiris," she had told the media.
The NCW concluded by reaffirming its commitment to upholding the dignity of women and called upon the public to respect differing viewpoints, especially those made in good faith during times of national crisis.
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India describes attack on Fujairah 'unacceptable'
New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday described the wounding of three Indians in an attack on the United Arab Emirates' port city of Fujairah as "unacceptable" and pressed for an immediate cessation of hostilities targeting innocent civilians.
New Delhi's reaction came a day after the Indians were injured after a drone attack caused a fire at a major oil industry zone in Fujairah. The UAE had accused Iran of carrying out the strike.
"The attack on Fujairah that resulted in injury to three Indian nationals is unacceptable," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians," the spokesperson said.
Jaiswal said India continued to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation so that peace and stability could be restored across West Asia.
"We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law. India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues," he said.
The attack on Fujairah city came as the ceasefire between the US and Iran came under strain in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas pass, remains a major sticking point in the talks. Shipping through the narrow Gulf waterway has been severely disrupted by the conflict, triggering a sharp increase in oil prices and energy shortages in several countries.
The UAE's defence ministry on Monday said its air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran.
The ministry affirmed that it "remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront anything that aims to undermine the security of the country."
