The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday condemned the detention of 44 workers from Jammu and Kashmir at New Tinsukia Railway Station in Assam, calling the incident part of a growing pattern of profiling and harassment in BJP-ruled states.
In a statement issued in the capital, the CPI urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and ensure the safety and constitutional rights of Kashmiris living and working across the country.
The party said all 44 workers had valid identity documents, yet were rounded up “merely on the basis of suspicion and appearance” after being stopped by locals near Hijuguri.
Assam Police later confirmed that the group had been detained only for “identity verification.”
The CPI said the episode was not isolated, pointing to what it described as recurring cases of harassment in states such as Assam and Haryana.
It cited the recent controversy in Gurugram, where a notice mandating compulsory registration of Kashmiri residents drew criticism.
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According to the party, these developments reflect a “disturbing pattern” aligned with a political narrative that casts Kashmiris as objects of suspicion.
Questioning repeated claims by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of narrowing the gap between Delhi and Kashmir, the CPI said the treatment of ordinary Kashmiri workers raises doubts about the sincerity of those assurances.
The party reiterated its demand for immediate action from the Union home ministry to safeguard the rights and dignity of Kashmiri citizens living elsewhere in India.
Police in Assam said the detained group claimed to be from Jammu and Kashmir and were held temporarily for verification.
