There is no let-up in the cases of harassment, assault, and threats against Kashmiri shawl sellers in Himachal Pradesh, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) that is in touch with the authorities and victims, said on Monday (December 29, 2025). Political parties in the Kashmir valley too expressed concern over “growing incidents”.
“Dozens of Kashmiri shawl sellers, who have been working in Himachal Pradesh for over 25-30 years, are now being harassed, assaulted, and threatened to leave the State in the Ghumarwin area of Bilaspur district by right-wing groups. This is the 17th such incident that occurred in Himachal Pradesh this year,” JKSA head Nasir Khuehami said.
The JKSA urged the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, “to intervene immediately”. “This atmosphere of hatred and threats has the potential to destroy livelihoods built over generations,” Mr. Khuehami said.
The JKSA, which has been documenting the cases of harassment against Kashmiris, said shawl sellers were being asked to leave Himachal Pradesh. “They are not allowed to sell their shawls, their belongings have been vandalised, and even their mobile phones were smashed when they tried to record these incidents,” Mr. Khuehami said.
