Indian CRPF bars Kashmiri trader from promoting traditional pheran in Srinagar
Paramilitary force now being used to enforce Hindutva agenda: Analysts
Srinagar: In yet another instance of discrimination and repression in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a Kashmiri trader was prevented by Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel from conducting business and promoting the traditional pheran garment on his own land in Srinagar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the trader was stopped by CRPF personnel while displaying and promoting the pheran, a centuries-old traditional attire that symbolizes Kashmiri culture and identity. Locals said the incident reflects the increasing curbs imposed by Indian forces on Kashmiris’ economic activities and cultural expression, even on their ancestral land.
Eyewitnesses reported that the trader was asked to remove his display and halt his business without being given any lawful justification. Ironically, residents pointed out that non-Kashmiris and outsiders are allowed to freely carry out commercial and promotional activities in the same areas without facing similar restrictions, exposing the discriminatory policies enforced by the occupation authorities.
Political analysts and civil society members described the incident as part of a broader strategy to marginalize Kashmiris economically and erase their cultural identity. They said the pheran is not merely a piece of clothing but a powerful symbol of Kashmiri heritage, resilience and collective identity, and targeting it amounts to an assault on the region’s cultural roots.
Locals expressed concern that such actions highlight the growing divide between the rights of indigenous Kashmiris and those of outsiders encouraged by New Delhi following the illegal revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
Observers noted that the heavy military presence, represented by forces like the CRPF, has gone beyond security duties and is now being used to enforce a political agenda aimed at suppressing local economic freedom and cultural expression. They said the use of armed forces to control civilian life reflects the coercive nature of India’s occupation of the territory.
The incident, they added, is a microcosm of the larger issues faced by Kashmiris, including economic marginalization, cultural erasure and denial of basic rights.
