Click to play videoPune: Pune's jewellery shops are becoming off-limits for burqa-clad customers in the New Year.
The Jeweller's Association has decided to debar them from the shops as even tight security, including use of close circuit cameras, failed to stop a rise in thefts. The association says only those who don't cover their faces can shop for jewellery.
“Anyone wearing a burqa or covering their head will have to show their face on CCTV, and then shop,” says President Maharashtra Sarraf Association, Fattehchand Ranka.
But police says jewellery shop thefts have gone down drastically in Pune. As against 39 cases last year, only 25 jewellery shop thefts were reported this year. Burqa-clad women were involved in not more than five of them. Yet, police says it won't intervene.
“Women are coming because of certain religious reasons. It’s none of our business and our department will not interfere, we will not tell them that we will help them. This is their business policy,” says Commissioner of police, Pune, Dhanajay Jadhav.
Meanwhile, Muslim women, not surprisingly, are expressing outrage at the move of the jewelers.
“Making out a single solution or pointing out fingers at some people is not right. There are surely other solutions - like they have CCTVs. They can have more people to look after burqa-clad people. They can't ask us to remove are veil if we are comfortable with it,” says a resident of Pune, Muntaha Khan.
But despite the opposition, the Association is firm on its stand. It has also decided to face any legal challenge that may come up.
There will be no business on Friday for the jewellers in Pune because they have decided to hold a band to protest against the many losses they have already suffered.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
