Reports of Harassment Against Kashmiris After Delhi Blast: A Deep Analysis of Kashmiri Identity, Profiling, and Post-Blast Politics
By: Javid Amin | 21 November 2025
A Familiar Pattern in an Unbroken Cycle
When Mirwaiz Umar Farooq described the recent reports of Kashmiri students, vendors, and workers facing harassment across India as “very disturbing,” he was not merely echoing political rhetoric. He was invoking a concern that stretches back decades — the reflexive suspicion, profiling, and social hostility that Kashmiris often encounter whenever a major security incident occurs anywhere in India.
The November 10 Delhi blast, which tragically killed more than a dozen people near Red Fort, reactivated a national psychology of suspicion, particularly toward Kashmiris, irrespective of their connection to the event. What followed — harassment incidents in housing societies, intimidation of Kashmiri vendors, and questioning of students — revealed once again how quickly collective blame can take hold, especially in a nation grappling with the emotional weight of terrorism.
The reaction was swift across the Valley’s leadership spectrum. Along with Mirwaiz, senior political leaders such as Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and Omar Abdullah condemned the harassment and profiling of Kashmiris and urged the Centre and state governments to ensure safety. Their combined voices point to a deeper, more urgent issue: Kashmiri identity in India remains precarious, vulnerable to crisis-induced stereotyping, and often shaped by national perceptions rather than individual realities.
This analysis explores, in depth:
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Why Kashmiri identity becomes a target after national security incidents
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How profiling and collective suspicion shape psychological and social experiences
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What Mirwaiz’s remarks reveal about the political landscape
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How media crackdowns (such as the recent Kashmir Times raid) connect to the larger narrative
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How the Delhi blast reignited debates about nationalism, dissent, and belonging
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The long-term implications for national integration and trust
This is not just a political issue — it is a social, emotional, historical, and constitutional challenge that continues to define the Indian-Kashmiri relationship.
The Delhi Blast and the Immediate Social Fallout
A nation on alert — and a community under scrutiny
The November 10 blast near Red Fort triggered massive security responses: checkpoints, verification drives, expanded patrolling, and heightened intelligence activity. Such responses are expected after an attack of this scale.
What is not expected — though it has sadly become predictable — is how quickly suspicion shifts toward Kashmiris.
In the days following the blast:
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Kashmiri students in Delhi NCR reported hostel checks, incidental questioning, and social hostility.
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Workers and vendors in Himachal Pradesh faced targeted intimidation and were asked about their “identity papers.”
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Kashmiris living in rented housing in several North Indian cities were singled out by RWAs (Resident Welfare Associations) for questioning.
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On social media, trending narratives framed Kashmiris as a “risk group” without evidence.
The blast acted as a national pressure point — and Kashmiris became the release valve.
Why Mirwaiz’s Words Carry Weight
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is not only a religious figure but a socio-political voice with moral authority across Kashmir’s diverse communities. His Friday sermons historically shape political moods and civic responses.
When he describes the harassment of Kashmiris outside the Valley as:
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“deeply disturbing,”
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“dangerous,”
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and “responsibility of governments to stop immediately,”
these words resonate beyond politics. They articulate what many Kashmiris feel — that their identity has become conditional, fragile, and open to suspicion no matter where they live.
His statements also highlight:
1. The emotional cost of identity-based targeting
Kashmiris fear sending their children to cities where opportunities exist.
2. The deepening alienation due to repeated profiling
Repeated experiences of blame encourage withdrawal rather than integration.
3. The political sensitivity of nationwide discrimination
Harassment fuels separatist narratives, undermines moderation, and weakens bridges.
4. The ongoing struggle against collective punishment
Mirwaiz makes it clear: No community should pay for the actions of individuals.
The Psychology of Suspicion — How Kashmiris Become Scapegoats
Identity as a national trigger
To understand why Kashmiris face profiling after major attacks, one must look beyond politics into national socio-psychology. Kashmiris symbolize, in the Indian imagination, a region of unresolved conflict. Even when the majority are peaceful, ordinary citizens, the perception of Kashmir as a “security zone” persists.
As a result:
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Their accents
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Their attire
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Their ID cards
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Their place of birth
become triggers for suspicion.
The three-layer profiling pattern
Whenever a terror incident occurs in India, Kashmiri identity undergoes a three-stage scrutiny:
1. Immediate suspicion
Kashmiris feel an invisible spotlight. People look differently, whispers increase, and questions intensify.
2. Social distancing
Landlords ask more questions. Students feel isolated. Vendors experience a drop in customers.
3. Institutional caution
Hostels, campuses, and police sometimes take a “verify first” approach.
This cycle repeats itself after every major attack.
Harassment Reports After the Delhi Blast — Verified Patterns
Across multiple states:
In Delhi NCR
Students reported being asked about their origins during checks.
In Himachal Pradesh
Vendors were asked to leave markets early or questioned by locals.
In Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh
RWAs reportedly asked “extra documentation” from Kashmiri tenants.
In universities
Stereotypes resurfaced, making Kashmiri students withdraw socially.
These incidents form the context of Mirwaiz’s concern — not isolated events but a national pattern.
Political Response — A Valley United in Voice
For the first time in recent years, four prominent Valley leaders spoke almost in unison:
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Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
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Dr Farooq Abdullah
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Mehbooba Mufti
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Omar Abdullah
Despite belonging to different political ideologies, they all:
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condemned harassment
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urged the Centre to intervene
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warned against collective suspicion
What this unity reveals:
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Harassment of Kashmiris is not a political issue; it is a humanitarian one.
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Delhi–Kashmir trust is fragile and events like these can break it further.
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Leaders fear this atmosphere could radicalize youth or worsen alienation.
Media Suppression and the Kashmir Times Raid — A Connected Thread
Mirwaiz also linked the harassment issue to media crackdowns, referencing the SIA raid on Kashmir Times. He argued that:
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dissenting voices are being silenced
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independent journalism is being delegitimized
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a climate of fear is being created
The raid context shows that identity and dissent are being simultaneously policed.
When media is intimidated, darker narratives thrive — including stereotyping.
Historical Roots — Why Kashmiris Are Seen Through a Security Lens
The Indian national psyche has been shaped by decades of conflict:
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militancy since 1989
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cross-border terrorism
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political instability
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high-profile attacks attributed to Pakistan-based groups
Because Kashmir has been the battleground for these tensions, Kashmiris often become symbolic hostages of the conflict even when innocent.
This fuels profiling.
The Impact on Students, Workers, and Families
Harassment has real consequences.
1. Students
Parents consider withdrawing children from universities outside J&K.
2. Vendors & Workers
They lose livelihoods and feel unsafe travelling out of the Valley.
3. Professionals
They face workplace isolation and trust deficits.
4. Families
They fear calls from unknown numbers, expecting bad news.
This creates a psychological cost rarely acknowledged in national debates.
The Constitutional Lens — What Profiling Violates
Harassment of Kashmiris violates:
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Article 14 (equality before law)
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Article 15 (non-discrimination)
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Article 19 (movement & expression)
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Article 21 (right to dignity & life)
The legal framework sees identity-based targeting as unconstitutional, making it both a moral and legal concern.
What Must Be Done — Policy & Social Recommendations
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Clear advisories from Home Ministry to all states
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Campus guidelines protecting Kashmiri students
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Anti-harassment helplines with immediate response teams
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Training for police on identity sensitivity
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Community-level interventions through RWAs
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State-level monitoring cells for migrant protection
Conclusion — Mirwaiz’s Warning Is a Test for India’s Ethical Fabric
Mirwaiz’s statement is not simply a reaction to harassment reports. It is a reminder that:
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National unity cannot coexist with collective suspicion.
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Security cannot override dignity.
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Identity cannot be the basis for fear.
The Delhi blast has once again exposed the fragile threads connecting Kashmiris to the rest of India. Whether these threads break or strengthen depends on how the country responds.
Kashmiris deserve safety, dignity, and acceptance — not profiling.
And that is the essence of Mirwaiz’s warning:
Harassment deepens alienation, and alienation weakens the very unity India hopes to preserve.
