Srinagar, Jan 1 (JKNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), seeking urgent intervention into what it termed as widespread and systematic harassment, intimidation and violence against Kashmiri shawl sellers and students in various parts of the country, including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Maharashtra.
In a letter addressed to NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, the association said that more than a dozen incidents targeting Kashmiri traders and students have been reported over the past ten days, indicating a disturbing pattern rather than isolated events, association said in a statement.
The JKSA alleged that shawl sellers, many of whom have been earning their livelihood peacefully for the past two to three decades, have been threatened, assaulted, forced to chant slogans, and in some cases even issued death threats.
National Convenor of JKSA, Nasir Khuehami, said the association has documented multiple cases from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana, besides incidents reported from Mumbai and Delhi. He added that Kashmiri students have also faced harassment, including denial of accommodation in New Delhi and verbal abuse in Mumbai. “In several incidents, belongings of traders and students were vandalised and looted, and their mobile phones were damaged when they attempted to record the attacks,” he said.
Khuehami said that some traders were forced to vacate their rented accommodations, disrupting livelihoods built over generations and causing immense psychological trauma. “Targeting innocent Kashmiri traders and students only fuels alienation and mistrust. Kashmiris are not outsiders; they are equal citizens of India with the same constitutional rights and protections,” he said.
The JKSA acknowledged that in some states timely intervention by the authorities helped ensure safety and redressal. However, it expressed serious concern over the situation in Himachal Pradesh, stating that despite repeated representations and assurances, incidents continue to occur with alarming regularity. The association alleged that there has been little concrete action on the ground, with delays in registration of FIRs, absence of visible arrests and lack of deterrent measures, which has emboldened miscreants.
The association urged the NHRC to seek detailed reports from the Chief Ministers and Directors General of Police of the concerned states regarding incidents reported, FIRs registered, arrests made, prosecutions initiated and preventive steps taken. It also called for strict enforcement of law, accountability for lapses, credible security mechanisms and effective protection for Kashmiri students and traders.
JKSA maintained that ensuring the safety, dignity and constitutional rights of Kashmiri shawl sellers and students is essential to restore confidence, prevent further alienation and reaffirm the commitment of the Union Government to protect every citizen. (JKNS)
