Shabir Ahmad Dar has been selling pashmina shawls for over two decades living in Indian-administered Kashmir. In Mussoorie, a hill town in the northern state of Uttarakhand, where he works, his clients particularly like the featherweight scarves with beautiful embroidery.
For his customers, the shawls symbolise luxury. For Dar, they represent home; they are a symbol of his Kashmiri identity, with its traditional designs infused with history. However, having the same identity feels like a curse these days.
Members of a Hindu right-wing gang, apparently enraged over the 26 people killed at a major tourist destination in Kashmir last week, openly harassed and attacked Dar and another seller on Sunday. Islamabad disputes India’s accusation that Pakistan was responsible for the strike.
As Dar and his companion loot their kiosk on a major avenue, the guys can be seen beating and yelling insults at them on camera. They blamed us for the attack, told us to leave town and never show our faces again,” Dar said. He claims that his hundreds of dollars’ worth of products are still laying there. “But we are too scared to go back.
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