Kashmiri Shawl Sellers Attacked, AIMJ Slams States
- AIMJ chief targets Uttarakhand government over Kashmiri shawl sellers
- Himachal Pradesh attack on Kashmiri shawl sellers draws criticism
Hyderabad: All India Muslim Jamaat National President Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi on Monday criticised the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh governments over attacks on Kashmiri shawl sellers. He alleged that both administrations failed to maintain law and order and did not protect vulnerable traders working in their states.
His remarks came after recent incidents involving Kashmiri shawl sellers in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. In Uttarakhand, two Kashmiri shawl sellers were attacked. Meanwhile, another seller was allegedly harassed and assaulted in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. These incidents raised serious concerns about the safety of non local traders. The latest case came from Kangra, where the victim was identified as Mohd Ramzan, a shawl seller from Kashmir.
Earlier, two brothers from Kashmir travelled to Dehradun to sell shawls. However, a group of people reportedly assaulted them after learning about their place of origin. These incidents sparked anger and renewed debate on the safety of migrant traders in northern states. Razvi said such cases showed growing intolerance and pointed to administrative failure.
“In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, a small shopkeeper named Muhammad was attacked by antisocial elements with criminal tendencies. They tried to beat him and force him to leave, questioning why he was working there. These people hold sectarian views and are deliberately creating divisions between Hindus and Muslims,” he said.
Razvi added that similar incidents were being reported often from Haridwar and Dehradun. He alleged that the administration did not act firmly in such cases. “Poor Muslims are being targeted, while the administration remains a silent spectator. The Uttarakhand Chief Minister is unable to handle the situation. Such acts amount to people taking the law into their own hands,” he alleged.
Referring to the Himachal Pradesh case, the AIMJ chief said Kashmiri traders travel across India during winter to earn a living. “People from Kashmir sell shawls, warm clothes and blankets in different parts of India every year. Recently, a Kashmiri shawl seller reached Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. He belongs to a poor and vulnerable background and depends on this seasonal work for survival,” Razvi said.
He alleged that communal minded individuals assaulted the trader. He also claimed that they falsely accused him of possessing a firearm under Section 147. “Physically assaulting a poor man and framing him with false charges is completely unjust. The Congress led government in Himachal Pradesh has failed to maintain law and order. This is not the first time such incidents have occurred; they have happened repeatedly,” he said.
Razvi also commented on the Uttar Pradesh government stepping up its investigation into nearly 4,000 madrasas. He said the probe focused on their funding sources and legal status. (Maxim News)
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