JKSA writes to rights panel over harassment of Kashmiri students, vendors across coun
JKSA writes to rights panel over harassment of Kashmiri students, vendors across country
M.U.H
02/01/202627
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has sought intervention of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to look into the harassment, intimidation, and violence faced by Kashmiri shawl sellers and students across India, particularly in Himachal, 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. 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 issued death threats.
JKSA national convener Nasir Khuehami said the organisation has documented cases from Himachal, Uttarakhand, Haryana; as well as Mumbai and Delhi. He said 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 disruption of livelihoods built over generations and causing severe psychological distress,” he said.
He said that in several states, timely intervention by authorities has helped ensure the safety of Kashmiri students and traders and facilitated redressal. However, Himachal presents a deeply disturbing picture. “Despite repeated representations, assurances, and interventions at multiple levels, incidents continue to recur with worrying regularity, while effective action on the ground has remained largely absent. 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.”
The association has 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.
