‘Sanatan Sabji Wala’ posters come up in Sanjauli market

Some vegetable and fruit vendors have put up a ‘Sanatan Sabji Wala’ posters in their shops in the Sanjauli market of Shimla. Activists of a Hindu outfit have asked them to put up the boards. This outfit had spearheaded the protests against the unauthorised construction in the Sanjauli Masjid and for the verification of migrants coming to the state to earn their livelihood.

“This is not permissible under law. One can’t be allowed to do something that promotes disharmony, division and discrimination in society. It’s a criminal offence and punishable under law,” said SP, Shimla, Sanjeev Gandhi.

Those providing these boards to street vendors are urging people to buy vegetables and fruit only from vendors belonging to the majority community. “We have started a campaign to put up these boards in the shops of Hindu vendors. We are also urging people to buy vegetables and fruit only from Hindu vendors,” said one of the activists of the outfit.

When The Tribune asked a few vendors as to why they have put up these boards, they said they were asked to do so by some people. “We have put up the boards because some people asked us to do so. We will pull them down if the authorities tell us do so,” said a street vendor. He added that he had no issue with any person from the other community doing business close to his shop.

“We have not put up the boards because we feel it will attract more customers. It will make no difference. However, I feel there’s nothing wrong in displaying the board either,” said another vendor.

Many of their customers are not even noticing the boards and some are not paying much attention to them even after seeing them. “I don’t think it will make much of a difference to customers. I did not even notice it. People will buy things from wherever they want to buy them,” said a middle-aged woman.

Meanwhile, a fruit vendor from the minority community quietly watched the ‘Sanatani Sabji Wala’ boards displayed in nearby shops. Will this affect your business? “No, everyone gets what destiny offers to him,” he said. He had been running the shop for several decades now.

Does it hurt to see some people running a campaign to boycott them? He lets his silence answer this query.

Criminal offence

This is not permissible under law. One can’t be allowed to do something that promotes disharmony, division and discrimination in society. It’s a criminal offence and punishable under law. — Sanjeev Gandhi, SP, Shimla