JKSA writes to NHRC seeking probe into harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 1 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Thursday wrote to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), seeking urgent intervention into the alarming and systematic harassment, intimidation, and violence faced by Kashmiri shawl sellers and students across India, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Maharashtra.
In its letter to the NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, the association highlighted that over the past ten days alone, more than a dozen incidents targeting Kashmiri traders and students have been reported, reflecting a dangerous and persistent pattern rather than isolated occurrences.
As per the association, shawl sellers, many of whom have been conducting their trade peacefully for 20 to 30 years, have been threatened, physically assaulted, coerced to chant slogans such as "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," and even threatened with death.
National Convenor of JKSA Nasir Khuehami said the organisation has documented cases from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, as well as Mumbai and Delhi. He further added that Kashmiri students have also faced harassment, including denial of accommodation in New Delhi and verbal abuse in Mumbai.
"Their belongings have been vandalised and looted, and in several cases, their mobile phones were damaged when they attempted to record these attacks. Some traders have been forced to leave their homes, resulting in the disruption of livelihoods built over generations and causing severe psychological distress," Khuehami informed.
"Targeting innocent Kashmiri traders and students only deepens alienation and mistrust, which is exactly what hostile forces seek to exploit. Kashmiris are not outsiders; they are equal citizens of India, entitled to the same rights, freedoms, and protections under the Constitution," he added.
He emphasised that in several states, timely intervention by authorities has helped ensure the safety of Kashmiri students and traders and facilitated redressal. However, Himachal Pradesh presents a deeply disturbing picture.
"Despite repeated attacks, there has been little concrete action, no prompt or effective registration of FIRs in several cases, no visible arrests or deterrent measures, and no sustained effort to ensure the safety and confidence of affected communities," Khuehami expressed concern.
The continued inaction has emboldened miscreants and created an atmosphere of fear, leaving vulnerable traders at the mercy of mobs instead of being protected by the rule of law.
The association has, thus, urged the NHRC to seek detailed reports from the Chief Ministers and Directors General of Police of the concerned states on all reported incidents, FIRs, arrests, prosecutions, and preventive measures taken.
The Association also called for immediate and decisive action to ensure accountability where lapses have occurred, strict enforcement of the law, credible security and monitoring mechanisms, and protection of Kashmiri students and traders.
The association emphasised that safeguarding the safety, dignity, and constitutional rights of Kashmiri shawl sellers, students, and their families is essential to restoring confidence, preventing further alienation, and reaffirming the Union Government's commitment to protecting every citizen. (ANI)