What if a politician told shopkeepers in your area to sack all their Hindu employees within a month? TV studios would likely erupt in outrage, FIRs would be filed, and even bulldozers might not be far behind. But when a threat of this nature has targeted Muslims in an Indore market, there has been no intervention from the police or the administration.

It started a month ago when Eklavya Singh Gaud, BJP’s Indore vice-president and son of local MLA Malini Gaud, issued an ultimatum in the city’s cloth market of Sheetla Mata Bazaar: traders must dismiss all their Muslim employees within a month. He held a meeting with the market association to convey his “request”.

Gaud claimed the step was necessary to tackle “love jihad” and to protect unsuspecting Hindu women from those he alleged might exploit sales interactions to form relationships.. 

The deadline was September 25. With just one day left, the impact is clear. More than 50 Muslim workers have already lost their jobs. And at least four shopkeepers had to vacate their rented spaces in the area that has around 500 shops. 

Gaud is no stranger to controversy. He was earlier accused of roughing up a police constable at a temple and was also booked for assaulting Congress workers. He was the one who filed a complaint against comedian Munawar Faruqui over a joke he reportedly never made, which led to Faruqui being jailed for over a month.

When Newslaundry reached out to Gaud, he directed us to one Harshit Jain, who did not respond to our calls and messages. 

Reached for comment, Indore Police Commissioner Santosh Singh said no one had approached his office regarding the issue and asked us to speak with DCP Zone-4.

DCP Anand Kaladgi, when asked why no case had been filed against Gaud despite his ultimatum, said: “He has not made any statement openly, and there is no video evidence except what is in the media. We are working on this issue and trying to resolve it. We don’t have an official video of him giving the ultimatum, but we are addressing the matter and will provide updates.”

Muslim salesmen even submitted a complaint to the office of Indore’s police commissioner, but no action was taken. The complaint, dated September 15, claimed Muslim workers were being targeted for political benefit.

Two traders, speaking anonymously, claimed the police will not act against Gaud as the area falls under the constituency of his mother and BJP MLA Malini Gaud.

‘Jobless just because I am Muslim’

Fifty-two-year-old Gabbar Ghori has worked in Sheetla Mata Bazaar for 40 years. “They (Gaud and his supporters) came last month and held a meeting with the cloth shop owners. In that meeting, they gave an ultimatum to dismiss all Muslim employees within one month. Shop owners who had rented their shops to Muslims were also told to take them back. There are around 100–125 Muslims working here as salesmen, and another 10–15 who run rented shops. Now, with just one day left, more than 50 people have already been removed, and the rest will lose their jobs tomorrow.”

Ghori said he had spent nearly his entire life in the market. “I was only 12 when I started working here. Since then, I have never left. I have always been loyal to my employers, and I don’t have a single complaint against my name in any police station. Both my sons also work here. Now, all three of us are going to lose our jobs.”

Ghori said his employer “is a very kind man, but he is under fear and political pressure. He didn’t tell me directly to stop coming, but he asked me to either work secretly for a few days or take leave until things calm down.” 

“But now, without work, my family will suffer. Together, me and my two sons used to earn around Rs 50,000–60,000 a month. Out of this, Rs 21,500 goes towards the flat’s EMI, Rs 3,500 for the motorcycle, and Rs 5,400 for a personal loan. With all three of us suddenly unemployed, I don’t know how we will manage these payments or run our household. For the past 25 days, I haven’t been able to eat properly or sleep at night.”

Ghori and other Muslim salesmen held a silent protest in the market on Wednesday afternoon, carrying placards.

Mohammad Gulzar, 42, who has worked in the market for 30 years, said he used to earn around Rs 22,000 per month. “Every month, I have to pay Rs 7,000 as rent. I have two small children in school, and I also have to manage their school fees. Now, suddenly, I am jobless, just because I am a Muslim. I have been out of work for the last 10 days and have been searching for a new job, but it’s not easy these days. In a situation where political leaders are openly calling to remove Muslims from their jobs, finding work will become even more difficult for me.”

He claimed his employer had told him that he was compelled to remove him. “I don’t blame him; he is also scared. Despite being a citizen of this nation, we have to endure this.”

Rahmat Khan, 32 (name changed for safety reasons), said Muslim salesmen have been working in the area for decades, some for as long as 50 years. 

“Now, suddenly, certain political leaders, for their own benefit, have started accusing us of being part of their so-called ‘love jihad’ agenda and are pressuring our employers to remove us.”

“What pains us the most is that there is no one to help us—no police, no political leaders, no social workers, no one. Tell me, what are we supposed to do in this situation? Who will give us a job now?”

Shakir Mohammad, another salesman, said he was the sole earning member of his family, including his mother, wife, sister, and two children. “Tomorrow is the deadline, and around 50–60 people have already been removed from their jobs.”

Fifty-five-year-old Mohammad Harun has worked in the market since he was 12. He started by selling clothes on a cart and, for the last 20 years, has run a rented shop. 

“They came to us and asked for the identity cards of all my employees. We gave details for eight employees – two Hindus and six Muslims. Then they pressured my shop owner to take the shop back from me. Two days ago, my owner told me to vacate the shop by September 25.”

He said he had a good relationship with his owner. “But he is also under pressure, because these people will target him if he refuses to follow their order.”

The market association’s Hema Panjwani did not respond to Newslaundry’s calls and messages.

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