Kashmiri Identity, Profiling, and Post-Blast Politics: A Long-Form Analysis

By: Javid Amin | 20 November 2025

A Familiar Shadow Returns

The aftermath of the November 2025 Delhi blast near Red Fort—a tragic incident that claimed more than a dozen lives—revived an all-too-familiar anxiety in India: the panic-driven association of Kashmiris with suspicion, guilt, and collective blame. Within hours of the blast, reports began emerging of Kashmiri students being questioned, traders being harassed, and migrant workers facing intimidation, echoing several past cycles of violence and political fallout.

The political response from the Valley was swift. Three of Kashmir’s tallest leaders—Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and Omar Abdullah—urged the Central Government and states across India to ensure that Kashmiris are not unfairly targeted. Their appeals were not simply political reactions to an unfolding crisis; they represented a deeper narrative about identity, security, alienation, and India’s struggle to integrate Kashmir within a democratic framework.

This long-form essay traces the layers of meaning behind these appeals. It examines how Kashmiri identity has been constructed and contested, why profiling remains a recurring phenomenon, and how political reactions reveal the fragility of centre–periphery relations. The Delhi blast becomes a prism through which broader tensions are refracted: between security and civil rights, nationalism and diversity, political power and lived vulnerability.

The Fragile Space of Kashmiri Identity in the Indian Imagination

01. A People Caught Between Two Nationalisms

Kashmiri identity occupies a unique and often troubled space within India’s nationhood. It exists in the shadow of two competing narratives:

The Indian national security narrative, which views Kashmir through the lens of sovereignty, insurgency, and cross-border terrorism.
The Kashmiri political narrative, shaped by historical grievances, broken promises, autonomy debates, and cultural particularism.

These competing identities have produced decades of mistrust. The Kashmiri citizen often becomes not merely a person but a politicised symbol, interpreted differently depending on which side of the national argument one stands.

02. The “Perpetual Suspect” Syndrome

For many Kashmiris living outside the Valley—students, traders, professionals—the experience is recurring: whenever a terror incident occurs anywhere in India, scrutiny disproportionately targets them. This cycle creates a deeply internalised fear:

Hostels ask Kashmiri students to vacate.
Police perform “routine checks” that only target Kashmiris.
Landlords revisit rental agreements with suspicion.
Entire markets sometimes boycott Kashmiri vendors.

In each case, the message is clear: identity precedes innocence. This is the core tragedy of profiling—individuals become proxies for geopolitical anxieties.

The Delhi Blast and Its Shockwaves

01. The Red Fort as Political Theatre

A terror attack near Red Fort carries emotional weight far beyond its physical impact. Red Fort symbolizes:

Independence,
state authority,
national pride,
and political rhetoric.

Thus, the Delhi blast was not just an act of violence; it was an attack on a national icon. The political and emotional temperature was bound to rise instantly—and Kashmiris again found themselves at the receiving end of public anger and suspicion.

02. Harassment Reports as Early Warning Signals

Soon after the blast:

Students in Delhi University and Jamia Nagar reported intimidation.
Kashmiri shopkeepers in Gurugram faced questioning.
Vendors in Shimla and Manali were assaulted by local groups accusing them prematurely of “links to terrorists”.

These cases are rarely isolated; they are a pattern. And patterns signify something structural—a national readiness to conflate identity with guilt, especially during crises.

Political Reactions: A Fight Against Collective Blame

01. Dr Farooq Abdullah: A Call to the Nation’s Leadership

Dr Farooq Abdullah’s message was directed not at state machinery alone but at the larger idea of India. His appeal carried a moral undertone:

“Kashmiris must not be targeted or harassed. This is the responsibility of the entire nation.”

His statement emphasised something politicians rarely say openly: national integration is not achieved through force, but through reassurance.

02. Mehbooba Mufti: Against Collective Punishment

Mehbooba Mufti’s words—“Kashmiris shouldn’t be punished collectively”—highlight the core injustice of profiling. Her message also carried a critique of the government:

Alienation is growing.
Kashmir’s youth feel abandoned.
Knee-jerk responses only deepen resentment.

Her call for Omar Abdullah to take the matter to PM Modi reflects how high the stakes are. It is no longer merely about governance; it is about preventing social hostility from spiralling out of control.

03. Omar Abdullah: A Reminder of Lived Realities

Omar Abdullah’s focus was particularly sharp on the ground realities outside J&K:

Students facing discrimination in classrooms and hostels.
Businesses being targeted.
Migrants being monitored.

Omar’s appeal underscores that Kashmiris who leave the Valley for education or livelihood often do so to escape uncertainty—only to encounter new forms of vulnerability elsewhere.

Profiling, Nationalism, and the Politics of Fear

01. The Anatomy of Profiling

Profiling thrives on:

Generalisation: One person’s guilt becomes everyone’s stigma.
Emotion: Fear often overrides logic.
Political narratives: Suspicion is validated by rhetoric around “anti-national” elements.

In the aftermath of terror incidents, this becomes a combustible mix.

02. The Media’s Role: Amplifier or Corrective?

The media ecosystem shapes profiling in three ways:

Prime-time sensationalism, which often leaps to conclusions before investigations do.
Visual stereotyping, showing masked militants and Kashmiri landscapes in the same frame.
Social media hate campaigns, which rapidly weaponise misinformation.

In such environments, the Kashmiri identity is often reduced to a single frame narrative—one that erases diversity, nuance, and lived complexity.

03. Political Exploitation

Political actors, particularly at the national level, often find it convenient to:

associate Kashmir with insecurity,
link dissent to extremism,
and present harsh policies as “necessary”.

This encourages public suspicion and creates ideological support for profiling.

The Psychological Cost on Kashmiris

01. Living With Permanent Uncertainty

For many young Kashmiris, studying or working outside J&K means navigating:

suspicious glances,
random checks,
and the fear of mob violence.

These experiences accumulate into a psychology of hypervigilance.

02. Identity Negotiation

Kashmiris often adapt their behaviour:

avoiding speaking Kashmiri in public,
concealing identity on forms,
or changing their social media names.

Such self-censorship highlights how national belonging becomes conditional.

03. Family Trauma

Parents in Kashmir often hesitate to send children outside the Valley—even though education and opportunities are limited locally. Every blast, every hostile news report reopens old fears.

Thus, profiling does not only affect individuals; it reverberates through families, communities, and generations.

Post-Blast Politics: Between Security and Integration

01. The State’s Dilemma

The Central Government often faces a dual pressure:

maintain visible security to reassure the national audience,
and manage Kashmir’s political sensitivities.

Balancing these goals becomes difficult when public anger is high.

02. Political Leaders as Firefighters

Leaders like Farooq, Mehbooba, and Omar often act as bridge-builders—reminding the Centre that excessive suspicion will:

deepen alienation,
strengthen extremist narratives,
and undermine national integration.

Their role is not merely political; it is preventive diplomacy within the country.

03. Shifting the Narrative

The post-blast reactions force India to reconsider:

how it views Kashmiris,
how national media frames incidents,
and how political leaders respond to crises.

The question is not just security but what kind of nation India chooses to be.

The Broader Sociopolitical Landscape

01. Past Precedents

Patterns of harassment emerged:

after Pulwama (2019),
after Parliament attack anniversaries,
during border escalations with Pakistan,
during communal tensions in mainland India.

Each cycle reinforces stereotypes and hardens social divisions.

02. The Erosion of Trust

Repeated profiling creates a generational belief within Kashmiris that:

their loyalty is questioned,
their identity is suspect,
and their citizenship is conditional.

Rebuilding this trust requires more than security operations; it requires political empathy and structural reforms.

03. The Democracy Question

A central tension emerges:
Can a democracy claim moral superiority while treating an entire region’s population with suspicion?

Kashmir becomes a test case for India’s democratic values—not because of separatism, but because of how it treats its own citizens.

The Path Forward: Toward Responsible Politics

01. Centre–State Coordination

A coordinated response is needed:

unequivocal statements from PMO,
instructions to state governments,
and monitoring of harassment cases.

02. Media Reform and Accountability

News outlets must:

avoid speculative reporting,
highlight factual investigations instead of stereotypes,
and invite Kashmiri voices into national debates.

03. Community Integration

Programs encouraging interaction between Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri students, traders, and professionals can reduce social distance.

04. Legislative Safeguards

Stronger anti-discrimination policies for students, workers, and migrants—particularly from conflict zones—are essential.

05. A Shift in Public Consciousness

Ultimately, profiling ends not with laws alone but with a shift in:

public attitudes,
social narratives,
and the national imagination.

Bottom-Line: Beyond Suspicion Toward Reconciliation

The Delhi blast was a tragedy that demanded accountability and rigorous investigation. But what followed—the profiling of Kashmiri citizens across India—reveals deeper fractures that have long undermined India’s relationship with Kashmir.

The appeals from Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and Omar Abdullah were therefore not mere political gestures; they were urgent reminders of a foundational truth: national security cannot come at the cost of national cohesion.

Kashmiri identity cannot continue to oscillate between suspicion and acceptance. If India wants to strengthen integration, it must replace the instinct of profiling with a commitment to dignity and justice. The cycle of collective blame must end—for the sake of Kashmiris, but also for the sake of India’s democratic promise.