Hindu extremists target Muslim shopkeepers in India
Videos from Uttarakhand this week show men identifying Muslim traders before issuing business directives, prompting calls for police investigation
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Fresh allegations of religious profiling have emerged from northern India after members of a Hindu extremist group were accused of identifying Muslim-owned businesses and questioning shopkeepers about their religious identity.
The group also allegedly issued directives on how Muslim-owned stores should operate, raising renewed concerns over intimidation of religious minorities.
The incident reportedly occurred this week in the Hindu pilgrimage town of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand state.
According to local reports and videos circulating on social media, members of a Hindutva organization entered a local marketplace, approached shopkeepers one by one and asked for their names. Those identified as Muslims were allegedly warned to comply with a set of demands or face unspecified consequences.
One of the instructions reportedly issued by the group required shops selling women’s clothing to employ a female staff member. Video footage shared online appears to show members of the group confronting traders and discussing whether they were complying with the demand.
Lawyers and civil rights advocates questioned under what legal authority private individuals could inspect businesses, determine the religious identity of owners and issue instructions affecting their livelihoods.
The controversy comes amid growing concerns over the activities of self-styled Hindu vigilante groups in several Indian states. Such groups have frequently been accused of stopping vehicles, inspecting businesses, questioning citizens about their religion, and attacking them.
Videos of the confrontation quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread calls for official intervention. Many users argued that targeting businesses on the basis of the owner’s religion undermines constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to conduct lawful business without intimidation.
One social media user questioned why individuals who were not police officers appeared to be exercising authority over shopkeepers, asking which organization was emboldening such groups to interfere in public life and communal relations.
Others described the episode as evidence of an increasing normalization of mob rule, warning that the growing influence of self-appointed groups risked weakening the rule of law and public confidence in state institutions.
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