Ten days after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including her husband, 31-year-old Shubham Dwivedi, his wife Ashanya has made an emotional appeal to the government, demanding that he be declared a martyr.
Speaking to PTI on Thursday, Ashanya expressed her grief and frustration over the lack of concrete action. “Neither has Shubham received recognition as a martyr, nor has the government eliminated the terrorists responsible for the killings,” she said. The attack, which took place on April 22 in Pahalgam’s Baisaran area, primarily targeted tourists and left a trail of devastation.
Ashanya, visibly broken, said she is not seeking financial compensation or a government job. “I don’t want a job or money — just the status of martyr for my Shubham. I will carry this pain for the rest of my life,” she said, recalling how she now spends most of her time in a room with her husband’s photograph and the shirt he wore on the day of the attack. “Even the sound of a tyre burst or a loud noise makes me tremble,” she added, describing the psychological trauma she continues to face.
On Wednesday, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi visited the grieving family at their residence in Maharajpur. Ashanya said she shared her request with Gandhi, who assured her he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand martyr status for Shubham and would also raise the matter in Parliament.
Ashanya also appealed for immediate and strict action against the terrorists responsible for the attack. Asked if she would ever consider returning to Kashmir, she replied, “Never. Not even once.”
The government is yet to respond publicly to the demand.