Muslims call the Mandoli Road Market Association’s order unfair, while the Municipal Corporation warns that such rules have no legal backing and could lead to police action
NEW DELHI — A controversial decision by the Mandoli Road Market Association in East Delhi’s Shahdara area has triggered outrage over its order asking all street vendors to put up name plates on their carts and disclose their identity. It cited the recent terror attack in Pahalgam as the reason.
The association’s decision has been criticised by many, especially Muslims, who feel they are being unfairly targeted in the name of national security. Several community members have described it as a direct attempt to isolate Muslims in public markets by forcing them to reveal their names.
“This is not a security measure — this is clear discrimination,” said Mohammad Saeed, a fruit vendor who has worked in the area for 14 years. “What happened in Kashmir is sad and wrong, but what do we have to do with it? We are Indian Muslims, not Pakistanis.”
The market association issued the order days after the attack in Pahalgam. In response, Mandoli Market head Binny Verma said the association had decided to introduce the name plate rule “so that people know from whom they are buying.”
“The attack in Pahalgam was a religiously motivated killing,” Verma told reporters. “We believe buyers have the right to know who is selling them food or vegetables. That’s why all vendors are required to put name plates and submit Aadhaar details at our office.”
Vendors were also warned that failure to comply with the directive would mean they would not be allowed to operate in the market. The move has raised strong objections from locals, human rights activists, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Officials from the MCD responded by reminding the market association that they do not have the authority to make or enforce such rules. “No market association has the legal power to force anyone to display their religious or personal identity,” said an official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Only the legislature can make such laws. If the association harasses street vendors, police action can be taken.”
Rights groups say this is yet another example of how Muslims in India are increasingly facing pressure to prove their patriotism and identity.
“What are we asking here?” said activist Arifa Begum of the Human Rights Front. “That every Muslim must hang a name board to prove they are not a terrorist? This is not justice. This is intimidation. We are seeing more and more cases where Muslims are being asked to pay the price for the crimes they have nothing to do with.”
Meanwhile, many vendors fear that such moves could divide communities even further and damage the peaceful atmosphere in local markets.
“Today it is a name board,” said Shakeel Ahmad, who sells lemons and ginger at Mandoli Market. “Tomorrow they will ask us to put a crescent moon or some symbol to separate us from others. What’s next?”
While some traders support the association’s move in the name of transparency and public safety, others say it goes too far.
“Security is important, but targeting people based on names is wrong,” said Kavita Joshi, a local shop owner. “We should find real solutions instead of creating fear among communities who are already poor and struggling.”
This incident adds to a growing list of recent events where communal tensions have flared in India, especially after terror attacks or political developments involving Pakistan. Often, Indian Muslims become easy targets in public discourse and even on the ground.
Legal experts also pointed out that forcing someone to publicly declare their name, especially in a communal context, can violate the right to privacy.
“India is a democratic country. You cannot punish people for something they have not done,” said Delhi-based lawyer Faheem Khan. “Forcing Muslims to reveal their names after a terror attack only deepens suspicion and damages unity.”
As criticism mounts, calls are growing for the Delhi Police to step in and prevent any kind of communal profiling in public markets.
A senior police official, when contacted, said they were looking into the issue and would take action if any vendor was forced or harassed under the association’s directive.
For now, the Mandoli Road Market remains tense. Vendors say they are unsure what to do — obey the illegal order and risk discrimination, or resist it and face eviction.
“We are here to sell vegetables, not to answer for what someone did in Kashmir,” said Mohammad Rizwan, a hawker near the market gate. “If they don’t want Muslims here, they should say it openly.”
The Pahalgam attack was a tragedy, but this response, many feel, is creating a new crisis — this time not in Kashmir, but on the streets of Delhi.
