A purported rise in vigilante-style “verification” demands targeting Muslim vendors has come to light through multiple incidents captured on video, raising concerns over discrimination and the scrutinising of livelihoods in different parts of the country.
A video from Punjab’s Ludhiana has made rounds on social media demonstrating a man confronting a Muslim band player, questioning him over “verification” to keep his business in operation in the colony, Siasat.com reported.
The video named “Bina police verification ese logo ko apni gali mohale main naa aane do (Without police verification, don’t let these people come to your colony)” surfaced on social media on Friday. The vendor in the video was identified as Irfan. He came to Punjab from Uttar Pradesh and reportedly played instruments in the locality.
The video shows a man asking the vendor, “Show me your Aadhaar card. Where are you from?”
On getting the cognizance that the vendor, Irfan, is from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the man could be heard asking, “Have you obtained any police verification for what you are selling here?”
According to the reports, when the man learned the religious identity of vendor Irfan, the man warned him against playing in the area again. Furthermore, he was heard saying, “We did not hit you, nor did we break your instrument.” We simply requested that we take this issue to the police station.
Siasat.Com, further reports yet another similar incident that unfolded in Rajasthan. Salim, hailing from Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh, came to Rajasthan when he was intervened with by a Hindutva man, questioning his intentions to work in the village.
Salim arrived in Bhilwara district’s Baishpada village to work with his associates. However, they encountered the Hindutva man who stopped both of them from working, took their keys, and later harassed them.
Salim, like Irfan, was reportedly asked to show his identity card before operating his business.
“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?” the man said.
“Look, come every day, but get a written permit from the police station saying you are allowed to sell here. Secondly, get an identity card made. If you commit a fraud and disappear, where will we go looking for you? he added.
“We aren’t even able to do anything as it is. We aren’t saying anything to them. They are the ones who want to beat us up first,” he said.
