Attack on Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand: IIOJK leaders condemn rising Hindutva violence
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), political leaders have strongly condemned the brutal assault on a young Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand, saying that such hate-driven attacks are increasingly being reported from Indian states, particularly those ruled by the BJP.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the victim, a minor from Kashmir who had travelled to Uttarakhand to earn a livelihood by selling shawls, was attacked by a group of Hindutva activists. He suffered multiple fractures and serious injuries.
The incident has triggered widespread political outrage in IIOJK, with leaders from various parties terming it deeply disturbing and reflective of growing intolerance being fostered under right-wing politics.
IIOJK Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra described the attack as extremely concerning, saying it was a part of a sustained campaign by right-wing elements across India. “This is not limited to two or three states. If you track such incidents over time, they are happening across the country under the policies and environment being created by right-wing forces,” he said, adding such attacks are more frequent in BJP-ruled states.
Independent MLA Shabir Ahmad Kullay also condemned the assault and urged the Uttarakhand government to act decisively. He warned that hatred had reached such levels that society was increasingly unable to tolerate diversity.
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said that Kashmiri youths were being targeted in BJP-ruled states. “Wherever the BJP is in power, Kashmiri youths are being beaten, abused, and forced to chant Hindu slogans—be it in Lucknow or Uttarakhand. In Odisha, people were killed after being labelled as Bangladeshis,” he said, demanding strict punishment for the attackers and accountability from governments that fail to stop such violence.
Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Zuhaib Yousuf highlighted the economic realities that force Kashmiri youths to travel across India for work. “Kashmiri shawl sellers travel across India due to massive unemployment back home. Today, they are humiliated, forced to chant slogans like ‘Vande Mataram’ or ‘Jai Shri Ram’, and beaten, as happened with a 17-year-old in Uttarakhand,” he said.
Yousuf expressed concern over what he termed the normalisation of such acts. “There seems to be a dangerous mindset developing, where beating a Muslim, making a video, and forcing slogans is seen as a shortcut to political visibility,” he added.
