In May 2016, art of living preacher Ravi Shankar had said Malala Yousafzai did not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, a quote reported in several dailies and news websites.

This was two years after she was awarded in Oslo. Malala, the famed human rights activist, was shot by the Taliban gunman in December 2012 for her campaign on girls' education in the Swat Valley in northeastern Pakistan. The Taliban, who are opposed to the education of girls, have destroyed hundreds of schools in Pakistan.

On Saturday, Malala, who has since become a name on children's education rights, tweeted that she was deeply concerned about reports that Kashmir’s children “have not been able to attend schools for more than 40 days”, and “about girls who are afraid to leave their homes”.

Some called Malala an agent of Pakistan for selectively speaking on Kashmir. Some others were reminded of Ravi Shankar's words uttered three years ago.

Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi accused her of “carrying forward” the Pakistani agenda in the 'garb' of Kashmiri girls.

Replying to Malala's tweet, BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje pointed out the the Nobel Peace Prize winner should look at how minorities are treated in Pakistan.

Gaurav Goyal, the Chandigarh Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president, too accused Malala of 'driving' a 'nepharious agenda,' asking her if a Nobel laureate should interfere with a country's internal matter. Congress leader Salman Nizami slammed her for 'selective outrage', telling her to look at Pakistani terrorists attqacking Kashmiris.

Several people on Twitter said Ravi Shankar had correctly pointed out that Malala did not deserve the Nobel.

Life in Kashmir since the August 5 lockdown remains far from normal. Most shops and schools are shut and public transport has gone off the roads in the Valley.

The efforts of the state government to reopen schools have not borne any result as parents fear for the safety of their children.