New Delhi: In BJP-ruled Uttarakhand, a surge in anti-Muslim sentiment has reached local markets, where Hindu-nationalist groups are pressuring shopkeepers to reveal or display their religious identity. The drive—dubbed “Change Your Name, Declare Your Faith”—has led some Muslim traders to alter storefront signs or shut their businesses altogether, reported the Dawat News.
According to media reports, BJP Yuva Morcha leader Vipin Pandey has been touring shops, telling owners, “This isn’t about Hindus versus Muslims; we just need to know a seller’s faith to ensure the purity of items offered to our gods.” Although no formal administrative order exists, shopkeepers say the atmosphere has grown tense since last week’s militant attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
Activists are reportedly scanning QR-code payment stickers to confirm the proprietor’s name, then demanding that shops adopt explicitly Hindu or Muslim signage. Nabi Ahmad, a sweet-shop owner, described a social-media call for a meeting outside his store to “rename it with a Muslim identity.” Before he could file a complaint, police arrived to check his business licence—but took no action against the intimidation campaign.
Local officials have not issued clear guidelines, leaving traders uncertain and fearful. Community leaders warn that markets are becoming battlegrounds for religious identity, with Hindutva groups emboldened by what they see as tacit government approval.
