Kashmiri shawl seller allegedly harassed, forced to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in Haryana'

A Kashmiri shawl seller was allegedly harassed and choked in Haryana’s Fatehabad district recently by a right-wing individual, for refusing to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ (Image: Screengrab of purported video/X)

• Kashmiri shawl trader allegedly harassed, forced to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in Haryana
• Leaders and students condemn repeated harassment of Kashmiri traders
• J&K Students Association urges action for trader safety across India

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A Kashmiri shawl trader was allegedly harassed and forced to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram’ in Haryana’s Fatehabad district, triggering sharp reactions from political leaders and student bodies from Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident, which has circulated widely on social media, involves a Kashmiri youth who was in the area to sell warm clothing. According to allegations made by the J&K Students Association, the trader was confronted by a right-wing individual who demanded that he chant slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. The association claimed the youth was physically assaulted when he refused to comply.

“A Kashmiri youth selling warm clothes was accosted by a right-wing element in Haryana’s Fatehabad, who was holding a Kashmiri vendor by his collar and forcing him to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram’. When the youth refused, he was threatened, grabbed by the neck, choked, and subjected to humiliating and degrading treatment,” the J&K Students Association said in a statement.

The alleged episode has intensified concerns about the safety of Kashmiri traders working in several parts of north India. According to reports, shawl sellers from Kashmir have recently reported harassment in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand, with some claiming they were assaulted or pressured to leave their places of work.

Political reactions followed soon after the video surfaced. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti criticised the authorities in Haryana, questioning the lack of action.

“Another video of an innocent Kashmiri man being dehumanised, humiliated & thrashed only because he refuses to chant Vande Mataram. Surprised that @cmohry @HaryanaPolice27 @DGPHaryana are allowing this to happen with such impunity. You can’t force us to chant Vande Mataram or Jai Shree Ram. Deal with it,” she wrote on X.

Another video of an innocent Kashmiri man being dehumanised, humiliated & thrashed only because he refuses to chant Vande Mataram. Surprised that @cmohry@HaryanaPolice27@DGPHaryana are allowing this to happen with such impunity. You can’t force us to chant Vande Mataram or Jai… https://t.co/N34JRUOYYY

— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) December 31, 2025

The J&K Students Association said the Fatehabad case was not an isolated one. National convenor Nasir Khuehami described the situation as alarming, pointing to a series of similar complaints in recent weeks. He said more than a dozen incidents involving intimidation, threats and violence against Kashmiri traders had been reported within a span of ten days.

“In just ten days, more than a dozen incidents of intimidation, harassment, threats, and violence have occurred. This is not an isolated phenomenon but a systematic and dangerous pattern of targeted harassment,” Khuehami said, adding that traders were often forced to chant slogans and, upon refusal, faced physical assault, vandalism of goods and destruction of mobile phones.

In Himachal Pradesh, a group of Kashmiri shawl sellers, many of whom have worked in the region for over two decades, recently alleged repeated targeting, calling it the 17th such incident in the past few months.

The association has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking urgent intervention to ensure the safety of Kashmiri traders across the country.

J&K People’s Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone also condemned the incidents, terming them hate crimes. “These are incidents of hate crime against civilians, fellow Indians who are trying to earn a dignified living for themselves. Additionally, they are ambassadors of integration with the rest of the country,” he said.