"Not making efforts": Sajad Lone questions Omar Abdullah's silence on Kashmiri shawl sellers' harassment

Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 2 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) President Sajad Lone on Thursday denounced Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his alleged silence on the reported harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers.
Highlighting the steps taken by him on the issue of assault on Kashmiri shawl sellers, Lone said, "I have been raising my voice, making calls, and even writing letters to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs."
He further sought confirmation of action from the Ministry and expressed his shock over the state CM's silence on the matter.
"Our J&K Chief Minister is not making efforts as he should. I am surprised that he is not taking any steps in this regard. Being the Chief Minister of the state, he can call the Chief Minister of another state to raise this issue, but he is not doing that," Lone told ANI.
On Thursday, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) 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. (ANI)