Bareilly, Feb 2 (NationPress) - The National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat (AIMJ) Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi expressed strong criticism on Monday towards the governments of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh regarding the recent assaults on Kashmiri shawl sellers in both regions, asserting that these administrations have not upheld law and order nor ensured the safety of vulnerable traders.

His comments follow incidents where two Kashmiri shawl vendors faced attacks in Uttarakhand, while another seller was reportedly harassed and assaulted in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, raising significant alarms about the safety of non-local merchants. The latest incident involved a victim identified as Mohd Ramzan, a shawl seller from Kashmir.

Prior to this, two brothers from Kashmir who had traveled to Dehradun to sell shawls were allegedly assaulted by a group after their origins were revealed. These events have ignited public outrage and have reignited discussions surrounding the safety of migrant traders in northern states.

In an interview with IANS, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi emphasized that such attacks signify increasing intolerance and a failure of administrative oversight.

"In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, a small shopkeeper named Muhammad was assaulted by individuals with criminal inclinations. They attempted to intimidate him and questioned why he was working there. These individuals promote sectarian views and intentionally incite divisions between Hindus and Muslims," he stated.

Razvi noted that similar incidents have frequently occurred in places like Haridwar and Dehradun.

"The vulnerable Muslims are being targeted, while the administration appears to stand by passively. The Uttarakhand Chief Minister seems incapable of addressing the situation. Such actions indicate that people are taking the law into their own hands," he alleged.

Regarding the incident in Himachal Pradesh, the AIMJ leader pointed out that Kashmiri traders travel across the nation during winter months to make a living.

"Each year, individuals from Kashmir sell shawls, warm apparel, and blankets throughout India. Recently, a Kashmiri shawl seller arrived in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. He comes from a financially disadvantaged background and relies on this seasonal work for his livelihood," Razvi mentioned.

He claimed that the trader was assaulted by individuals with communal agendas and falsely accused of carrying a firearm under Section 147.

"Physically attacking a poor individual and fabricating charges against him is utterly unacceptable. The Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh has failed to uphold law and order. This is not an isolated event; such incidents have occurred repeatedly," he commented.

Razvi also addressed the Uttar Pradesh government's ongoing investigation into nearly 4,000 madrasas across the state, focusing on their funding and legal status.

"The Uttar Pradesh government continues to mandate inspections of madrasas. This marks the fifth order of its kind. It is unclear what the government is specifically looking for during these inspections. Maybe they are searching for something unusual. We have no objections to the inspections; having been through this process four times already, the madrasas are ready for another visit. We will provide any necessary documentation," the cleric told IANS.