Ahmedabad: A Muslim vendor in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad was driven out of a Hindu-dominated colony by members allegedly associated with the Bajrang Dal.
Although the incident occurred on April 8, a video surfaced on social media on Sunday, April 12. The Hindutva men wearing saffron scarves approached the vendor and asked for his identity proof.
While looking at his Aadhaar card, they asked, “Kya kar rahe ho bhai aap yaha? Aapka naam kya hai? (What are you doing here? What is your name?)”
When the vendor replied, “Shahjahan,” the men questioned him again, “Toh aap kya kar rahe ho Hindu mohalle me? (So what are you doing in a Hindu area?)”
Shahjahan was then driven out of the colony, with a warning that only Hindus could work in Hindu areas.
The clip also showed the men approaching other such vendors, asking them not to sell or operate their stalls in a Hindu-majority area.
Previous incidents of locals policing Muslims
Across India, multiple incidents have emerged of local Muslim vendors and street hawkers being driven out after being forced to disclose their identity. After they question the vendors’ religious background, they warn them from entering the area again.
In Punjab’s Ludhiana, a man confronted a Muslim band player over his “police verification” allowing him to operate in the neighbourhood. Similarly, in Rajasthan, Salim was stopped by a local Hindutva man who questioned his intentions to work in the village.
The residents allegedly stopped Salim and his associate, took their keys, and harassed them. “Only if you have an identity card can you work in our village. If you ever get into trouble, how do we identify you? How do we know where you live?” he asked the duo.
He then threatened Salim to go straight home and later obtain a police verification to continue working in the area.
