Hindutva campaign targets Muslim salesmen in Central India
BJP leader’s son directs shops in city of Indore to expel Muslim employees, raising alarm over rising economic apartheid in India
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — In the central Indian city of Indore, the son of a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has triggered outrage after allegedly instructing shopkeepers to dismiss Muslim employees and vacate rentals occupied by Muslim traders, in what rights advocates describe as an attempt to formalize economic discrimination along communal lines.
Eklavya Singh Gaur, the son of a former mayor and a BJP legislator, reportedly toured Sheetlamata Market — Indore’s oldest and largest women’s clothing bazaar — telling traders that Muslims should no longer be employed in its 501 shops.
He justified the diktat by invoking “love jihad,” a conspiracy theory promoted by Hindu nationalist groups that accuses Muslim men of luring Hindu women into relationships as part of a demographic strategy.
Traders present at the meeting say Gaur gave Muslim workers two months to vacate rented shops and instructed owners to terminate existing Muslim staff. The announcement, they said, has placed hundreds of young men who have long worked in the market at risk of sudden unemployment.
The decision has been met with alarm across Indore. Muslim shop assistants and their Hindu employers have historically worked side by side in the city’s marketplaces, serving customers from all communities.
Rights advocates argue that while organizers insisted Muslim women could continue shopping in the market, barring Muslim men from selling exposes the policy’s blatant contradiction — welcoming Muslims as consumers while excluding them from livelihoods.
Community leaders and activists condemned the move as part of a broader pattern in Indian politics where terms such as “love jihad,” “land jihad,” and “population jihad” are used to stigmatize Muslims. They warn that normalizing such language fuels suspicion, encourages boycotts, and pushes minorities further to the margins of economic and social life.
“This is nothing but open hatred,” said one garment trader, who explained that both Hindu and Muslim staff had worked peacefully together for years. Others described the campaign as an effort to poison communal harmony in pursuit of political advantage.
Political opposition leaders have demanded immediate intervention from authorities. The city’s Congress president accused the BJP of using religion to divide society and warned that if officials fail to act, mass protests could follow.
Rights groups have also urged India’s judiciary to monitor hate speech more closely and ensure accountability for leaders who incite discrimination.
Observers say the episode in Indore highlights the growing role of Hindu nationalist rhetoric in everyday commerce, where markets — once spaces of shared livelihood — are becoming battlegrounds of exclusion.
For many shopkeepers, the call to remove Muslim workers is not only a threat to business stability but also to the broader social fabric of a city long known for its diversity.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
