The plight of Kashmiri shawl traders has been in the news after a series of videos emerged on social media platforms showing several groups expressing grievances and alleging widespread harassment from local groups in Himachal Pradesh.
In the videos that have garnered the attention of political leaders and activist groups of Kashmir, the shawl traders alleged they are being targeted due to their religious identity, with demands for their eviction and allegations of causing disturbances to local business establishments.
In one of the video clips, a group of about 40-50 Kashmiri shawl traders asserted they have valid business licenses verified by superintendents of police (SP) of both Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
The Kashmiri shawl traders alleged that Himachal local groups, often affiliated with right-wing Hindutva outfits, seize their merchandise at bus stands and receive threats to go back to Kashmir. The radical groups are also intimidating their landlords to evict them. “We sell shawls that no one else offers in the state, therefore we are not disrupting any local business,” said one trader.
“We are traditional shawl traders and have been visiting Himachal Pradesh seasonally for the past 20 to 30 years. Yet, we are being targeted solely because we are Muslims. We are now in the firing line simply for our religious identity,” said an elderly trader.
Another video clip features Mushtaq Ahmad Tantray, a resident of Kupwara district, who echoes similar concerns. He explained incidents of being harassed while purchasing vegetables, facing social boycott and being told to leave the state immediately.
Speaking to reporters about his ordeal, Tantray stated, “When I went to the market to purchase vegetables, some people asked if I was a Kashmiri. When I answered yes they threatened me to leave Himachal and if I fail to do so, they would adopt another way to kick me out.”
According to the reports, about 22 Kashmiri shawl traders have now filed a police complaint at Ghumarwin police station in Bilaspur district of Himachal, detailing the systematic harassment.
“We have received the complaint at Ghumarwin police station. A similar dispute arose last year between them and local shopkeepers, who claimed financial losses due to the Kashmiri shawl traders. No physical assault has been reported. We have requested the deputy commissioner’s office in Bilaspur to mediate and resolve the issue amicably. A meeting between both parties is expected within the next day or two,” Bilaspur superintendent of police Sandeep Dhawal told The Indian Express.
Former J&K chief minister and People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed serious concern over the safety and well-being of Kashmiri shawl traders.
Taking to X, Mufti wrote such incidents further alienate Kashmiri citizens from the rest of India and urged chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to intervene and ensure a safe environment for these traders.
“Kashmiri shawl sellers in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur District are facing harassment, assault, and threats from right-wing groups. Despite proper documents, they’re being barred from doing business and evicted. This is the third such incident, highlighting a worrying pattern of targeted violence. This othering of Kashmiris will alienate them further. I urge @OmarAbdullah and @SukhuSukhvinder to intervene and ensure a safe environment for these traders,” she wrote.
The alarming incidents promoted the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association to take steps, raising the issue directly with the Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir governments, urging immediate action.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association’s national convenor Nasir Khuehami said these traders have been functioning in the region for more than three decades. “Three harassment incidents have taken place in the last month,” he alleged.
While urging Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to intervene urgently, the national spokesperson of the association, Aadil Bhat said, “These Pashmina shawl sellers have highly contributed to the economy of Himachal Pradesh. But today, they suffer from insecurity and threats. This is not the first time Kashmiri shawl sellers have been targeted. They routinely face such harassment as this is the third incident in the state.”
In November, two Kashmiri shawl traders were harassed in Hamirpur district of Himachal by a local woman claiming to be the wife of the village sarpanch.
The woman threatened the traders to either leave Himachal Pradesh or chant “Jai Shri Ram”.
“We are Hindus and we have our Hindu community selling the same things. Why would Muslims come from somewhere else and do business here?” she is heard saying. She also urged villagers behind the camera to boycott businesses from Kashmir.
Himachal Pradesh has recently witnessed a surge of anti-Muslim sentiments and attacks across the districts including Shimla, Sanjauli, and Mandi especially after radical Hindutva outfits demanded the demolition of the disputed structure in the Sanjauli mosque and the verification of “outsiders,” a term frequently used to denote Muslims.
