Following an open call by BJP MLA Aklavya Singh Gaur to oust Muslim traders and salesmen in Indore, backed by the Cloth Market Association, local Muslim workers now face an uncertain future. Many who have previously worked in the city’s marketplaces express fear of humiliation, intimidation, and further Islamophobic targeting.
Gaur’s remarks have led to the endorsement of these actions by the Cloth Market Association, with banners displayed throughout the market proclaiming “Jihadi Mukt Bazaar” (Jihadi-Free Market) and expressing gratitude towards the BJP leader. Other signs thank Gaur as a “protector of Hindus.”
Mohammad Shakir Hussain, a long-time trader, lamented, “I have been working there for nearly 20 years. My Hindu and Muslim customers both trusted me. After one speech, I am suddenly unwanted. How do I go back to a place where I am seen as a threat?”
Bablu, a daily wage worker, described the abrupt destruction of his livelihood: “I used to earn enough to support my family. Now, shop owners are afraid to keep me, and I have no job. I am looking for work outside the market, but doors are closing everywhere.” He worked at a saree shop for over five years and noted that his employer is supportive but hesitant to call him back due to potential community backlash.
Some displaced Muslim traders and salespeople are now considering establishing their own businesses. “If markets don’t want us, we will build our own. We cannot beg for dignity. We will start small, maybe from home, maybe online, but we will not give up,” Hussain stated.
Supporting this sentiment, trader Arbaz Sheikh expressed readiness to take steps toward self-sufficiency. He operates a shop in partnership with two Hindu traders, Satish Rathore and Vijay, and explained, “One of my shops is now shut… My partners have no issue with me. They are supportive but cannot say so publicly because of the fear of being singled out.”
Another trader, Mohammad Nizamuddin, suspects that the ousting of Muslim traders was premeditated, citing the lack of objections at the time. “It seems this was premeditated…as soon as Aklavya made the call. That shows how eager they were to throw Muslims out of the market,” he argued.
Haji Rashid, a senior businessman, warned about the dangers of enforced segregation, emphasizing that the economic ties between Hindu and Muslim traders have been vital to Indore’s market success. Rights groups have condemned the Cloth Market Association’s actions as an attempt to normalize economic apartheid, highlighting the potential for long-term instability in the trade ecosystem.
The impact on Seetla Mata Market is evident, with a noticeable decline in sales and customer footfall following the elimination of Muslim salesmen. Congress MLA Chintu Chaukse remarked, “The decline is because most people are avoiding a place of conflict. We are trying our hardest so that no one is terminated.” He attributed the market’s plight to divisive rhetoric and lamented the actions taken against Muslim traders.
As tensions continue, the future of Indore’s marketplace and its communal fabric remains uncertain.
Tags: Indore, Muslim traders, jobless, Jihadi-Mukt Bazaar, rebuilding
Hashtags: #JihadiMukt #Bazaar #Indores #Muslim #traders #ousted #left #jobless #fear #determination #rebuild
