New Delhi buzzes with alarm as reports of assaults on Kashmiri shawl vendors flood in from across India. Nasir Kheuhami, national coordinator of the Jammu-Kashmir Student Association, has sounded the alarm, demanding immediate government intervention to protect these hardworking traders.
Kheuhami highlighted a shocking incident involving an 18-year-old from Kupwara, North Kashmir. The young vendor, balancing studies and family business, was viciously attacked in Vikas Nagar. According to details shared exclusively, locals questioned his origins and faith, sparking a heated debate over recent events in Pahalgam and Delhi. What began as conversation escalated into mob violence, with iron rods raining down on the teen, leaving him with severe head injuries and requiring 15 stitches.
This isn’t an isolated case. Similar attacks are plaguing regions like Almora, Nainital, Dehradun, Garhwal, and Kumaon. These vendors, who travel seasonally to support their families during Kashmir’s harsh winters, contribute significantly to local economies yet face growing hostility. Kheuhami insists that painting an entire community with the brush of isolated incidents is unjust and akin to collective punishment.
The victim’s plea, relayed through Kheuhami, underscores loyalty: Kashmiris stand with the government, urging legal action against proven wrongdoers rather than blanket blame. For decades, these families have peddled fine shawls across India, a tradition now under threat.
Kheuhami’s call to action is clear: Ensure safety for J&K workers nationwide, prosecute attackers swiftly, and uphold the right of every Indian to work anywhere without fear. Jammu-Kashmir is India’s integral part; its people deserve the same freedoms as those from Bihar or Uttar Pradesh. Failure to act risks eroding social harmony, he warns, as these innocent breadwinners seek only dignity in their toil.