A 50-year-old woman lodged a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of religion against a shopkeeper and owner of a grocery store at Gautam Nagar in south Delhi.
Alya (name changed), in her complaint at the Hauz Khas police station, stated that she and her daughter Zainab, 23, (name changed) were “shouted at, insulted and blocked by the shopkeeper with his hand” and referred to as “Big M” when they went there to buy some supplies on Saturday. An FIR is yet to be registered in the case, said the family.
Zainab said they wanted to buy only a few things from the store and her mother went alone as she waited in the car. She said Alya could be identified as a practising Muslim from her attire.
‘Abused and cursed’
The shopkeeper allegedly misbehaved with Alya and she returned to the car crying and told her daughter about it. Zainab said Alya was already disturbed as she had recently lost a relative to COVID-19 in Kerala.
When Zainab attempted to confront the store owners and admonish them for their behaviour, arguing that such statements especially during the present crisis were disappointing, she was “cursed” and told that they would “stay unhappy for their entire life”, the complaint read.
Zainab, whose brother is a pilot for Air India and father runs an NGO, said, “Our family is doing its part to serve the country, still such a thing happens to us... Even the people standing around [at the store] said nothing.”
She said her family was initially hesitant to file a complaint, fearing a backlash, but eventually decided to pursue the matter. “If they behave like this with people like us with privilege, we can only imagine how they must be treating others,” she said.
Please Email the Editor