From Srinagar, Himachal CM Sukhu raises concern over attacks on Kashmiris, warns on US trade deal impact

Sukhvinder Sukhu (Image: ANI)

• Attacks on Kashmiri traders in Himachal are politically driven
• Swift action taken after recent assaults on Kashmiri vendors
• India-US trade deal may harm apple and dry fruit farmers

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Attacks on Kashmiri traders in Himachal Pradesh are frequently driven by political motives, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Thursday.

He was speaking at the Pradesh Congress office in Srinagar with Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, responding to concerns about recent attacks on Kashmiris in the state.

In January, a Kashmiri shawl vendor was assaulted in Himachal Pradesh, marking the fourth such incident in the past few months.

“Such instances are rare. Chief minister Omar Abdullah also spoke to me recently. We acted swiftly and arrested the culprits within 24 hours,” Sukhu said, according to a report by The Indian Express.

For long, Kashmiris have been visiting Himachal Pradesh like their second home, said Sukhu. However, he stated, “Sometimes, in the interest of making reels for social media, they (assailants) do things like this because there is a trend to spread negativity… There are not many instances like this, but if they do occur, my directions are clear and strict actions are taken.”

He appealed to Kashmiris not to be deterred and to pursue their trade as usual, adding that vendors who encounter harassment must immediately lodge complaints with the police.

Taking aim at the trade pact with the United States, Sukhu said it would damage the interests of farmers across the country, especially in J&K and Himachal Pradesh.

“We are both apple-producing states. Our farmers have been engaged in this for years, and many have invested in CA stores. This trade deal has shattered their dreams,” he said, according to the report.

He further stated that the effects of the agreement on the fruit and dry fruit sector in Jammu and Kashmir would be visible in the years ahead.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah also raised serious concerns over the India-US interim trade deal, saying it could adversely impact the Union territory’s dry fruit and horticulture economy.

“Tree nuts – walnuts and almonds – originate from Jammu and Kashmir. Allowing them duty-free imports raises questions about the sympathy for our farmers,” Abdullah said, adding that apples should also have been protected.