Serious questions crop up about safety, rights, and freedom for Muslims in the country amid demands for strong police action
NEW DELHI/AHMEDABAD — In yet another worrying example of growing hostility against Muslims in the country, members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal forced Muslim hawkers to shut down their shops and leave the Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, simply because of their religious identity.
The incident took place on 22 November, and its video is now circulating widely on social media. In the footage, right-wing workers can be seen targeting a Muslim hawker wearing a cap and sporting a beard, preventing him from setting up his utensils stall. They tell him that Muslims are not welcome there and accuse him of coming “from outside” to earn a living. The man can be seen silently packing his goods, clearly distressed and helpless.
One of the witnesses in the market told local residents, “They told the hawker he had no place here because he is a Muslim. This is not business, this is bullying. The man did nothing wrong.”
According to people familiar with the matter, Bajrang Dal members warned the hawkers not to return. This open intimidation has triggered anger among Muslims, who say they are being pushed out of public spaces and deprived of basic rights.
A local Muslim shopkeeper who watched the scene unfold said, “We are citizens of this country. The Constitution allows us to work anywhere. Why are we being treated like outsiders?”
The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to work, trade and live with dignity. Article 19(1)(g) clearly states that all citizens have the right to pursue any profession or carry on any occupation or business. Yet, many Muslims say that these rights are becoming meaningless for them.
Another resident posted on social media, tagging the Gujarat Police, “Will you stop this hooliganism or will Muslims have to keep suffering? How long will people be judged by their religion?”
The video shows the perpetrators confidently filming themselves as they chase away the hawkers, suggesting they had no fear of legal action. This attitude has led many to question whether police apathy is giving confidence to those who wish to sideline Muslims from economic life.
A young Muslim activist commented, “They want to crush us socially and economically. First, they stop us from selling food, now utensils. What will be left for us to survive?”
Human rights groups say this incident is not isolated. Over the past years, several Muslim vendors across the country have faced attacks, boycotts, and organised campaigns to push them out of markets, stalls, and public spaces—turning ordinary livelihoods into a communal battlefield.
Social media users from across the country are now demanding strict action against the attackers. Many are urging authorities to file cases and send a clear message that targeting citizens based on religion is unlawful.
A legal expert from Ahmedabad told reporters, “If this continues unchecked, Muslim traders will live in permanent fear. The state must intervene, or mob rule will replace the Constitution.”
Despite the outrage, police have not yet confirmed whether any arrests have been made. This silence is raising further questions about the government’s commitment to protect minority rights.
For many Muslims in Gujarat, the message is painfully clear: their identity alone can invite humiliation and threats. As one elderly man from the area said, “We are born here. Our fathers and grandfathers worked here. Now they tell us we do not belong. Is this justice?”
