Women protesters in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) drew attention after invoking a famous line associated with revolutionary poet and freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil while raising slogans against the Pakistani military.
During the protest, women were heard chanting:
“Dekhna hai zor kitna bazu-e-qatil mein hai.”
PoJK Women Protestors quote Ram Prasad Bismil as they chant slogans against Pakistani Military - “Dekhna Hai Zor Kitna Bazu e Katil Mein hai”. pic.twitter.com/ZpnXM0Ra7h
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 30, 2026
The line is well known to be associated with the patriotic poem “Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna,” which became a symbol of courage, resistance and struggle against oppression during India’s freedom movement.
The protesters’ slogan was one of determination, of defiance. This was the famous verse, and through it the women seemed to be saying that they would continue to make their voices heard and keep up their voices loud and clear, to be heard, whether under pressure or in opposition.
The phrase can be understood as a challenge to the strength of an oppressor and to the resolve of resistance to injustice. It has historically been used in political movements and public demonstrations to signal the courage to go through and face the storm.
The protest is so much bigger because women were the main voice in raising slogans and expressing public anger. Women in such protests also brought the visibility of women in social and political demonstrations in the region to a greater extent.
Videos and images from the protest spread widely on social media, and users gave them a thumbs up for the women’s use of a well-known revolutionary verse.
The demonstrations follow the political tension and reports of public unrest in parts of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Protesters have expressed concern over a wide range of political, economic and administrative challenges.
Poetry and historical slogans have been used for centuries by public movements in South Asia. Such expressions give protesters a common language with which to communicate their demands, hold on to collective memory and to build solidarity.
Ram Prasad Bismil was a revolutionary figure in India’s freedom struggle and is remembered for his role in the movement against British colonial rule. His writings and poetry are still very much associated with patriotism, sacrifice, and resistance.
The line heard from the protesters is part of the larger cultural legacy of “Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna.” That poem was so popular in the freedom days that it has also been spoken again and again in public at commemorations and demonstrations.
With PoJK, the women’s version of the verse was used to put the past in a new political context. Although the original poem emerged during the struggle against colonial rule with its language of courage and resistance, it has been used for different reasons.
The protest also illustrated how cultural and literary expressions can cross geographical and political boundaries. The Hindi-Urdu poetic line used by women protesters in PoJK demonstrated the shared literary traditions of the region.
The slogans were apparently targeted at the Pakistani military, although the demands and circumstances surrounding the protest were not immediately clear.
Public demonstrations can reveal wider concerns about governance, economic conditions, civil rights and accountability. Women’s participation has brought a much broader public discourse.
The protest and Bismil’s words have received a lot of attention on the internet. Supporters said the slogan is a courageous stance, while others noted that it is a great piece of work and is tied to the freedom movement.
“Dekhna hai zor kitna bazu-e-qatil mein hai” remains a strong emotional line to be followed in the world, which is also about the persistence of those who want justice.
A slogan that for the women protesters in PoJK seemed to indicate that they would not remain silent and that they were prepared to keep raising their voices.
As people out there continue to protest and engage in political discussions, Ram Prasad Bismil’s famous words have become an emblem of the protesters’ resolve.
The protest also shows how powerful poetry is in our daily life. The words remain in the minds of people who struggle and resist to hold people accountable over a hundred years after the words were made a part of the freedom movement in India.
