KOLKATA: A section of youngsters in Barasat , both men and women, have stepped forward to reassure Kashmiri shawl and carpet traders in the locality of their support in the wake of threats to the community countrywide following last week’s terrorist attack in Pulwama “We have been seeing Kashmiri traders selling woollen garments, shawls and carpets since childhood and have always found them to be gentle and soft-spoken. They have lived here peacefully for years. When we saw how Kashmiris were being hounded on social media, we were naturally concerned and felt it was our responsibility to go and assure them that they are welcome here,” said law student Bidit Mukherjee.Md Hussein Bhatt is glad the locals have offered support. A resident of Srinagar, who has been visiting Kolkata annually for nearly a quarter of a century, Bhatt says he has never been perturbed till last week’s terror incident back home and the repercussions on Kashmiris since. “We have been worried about reports of Kashmiris being targeted across the country. In times like this, an entire community gets branded. When the locals stepped forward to assure us of support, it meant a lot,” said Bhatt, who runs a shawl and carpet store in Barasat.Others who have family back home concede tension over how the situation has panned out since the dastardly attack. Riyaz Ahmed Dar, who came to Kolkata this October, expressed the frustration of being viewed as supporters of terrorism simply because he is a Kashmiri. “Even we feel angry about the attack that killed so many jawans. What has happened thereafter, with Kashmiris being intimidated and asked to go back to the Valley, is extremely unfortunate. I have never felt insecure in Bengal but it is different this time. So when some locals offered to host us should we feel insecure, it felt special,” said Dar.Kuntal Ghose, a local youth who approached the Kashmiris, has even left his phone number with them lest they need to call in some exigency. “I have told them to call me anytime without hesitation and assured them we will reach there within minutes,” said Ghose.Shabnam, wife of shawl-vendor Firoz Ahmed Khandal, is glad he chose Bengal to do business instead of some other city where trade may be more lucrative but lacks the warmth. “Amidst this national sense of outrage, a few local youths felt it important to reach out to us and inquire if anything unpleasant had happened. That very gesture enhanced the sense of security,” she said.Local councillor Ashani Mukherjee said he had spoken to the police as well and had been assured that security would be provided should the situation arise.

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