Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Ravinder Singh Negi has once again stirred controversy after installing saffron flags on the carts of Hindu vegetables. This action, which took place on November 8, was an attempt to distinguish Hindu vendors from Muslim sellers.
Negi, representing the West Vindor Nagar ward in Delhi’s Patparganj assembly constituency, was caught on camera raiding vegetable vendors and installing saffron flags on carts belonging to Hindu sellers.
Negi is seen asking vendors for their names and checking their identities. He then proceeded to install saffron flags on the carts of Hindu vendors.
During the raid, Negi is heard saying, “We Hindus should know whom we buy these things from.” suggesting an attempt to differentiate vendors based on their religion.
This incident is not an isolated incident, as Negi, infamous for anti-Muslim rhetoric speeches has a history of similar actions. The event follows a pattern of similar controversial behaviour by the far-right politician.
Negi’s controversial actions
In May 2024, Negi was caught on camera delivering inflammatory speeches against Muslims in local parks in the Vinod Nafar area of East Delhi. Negi said the Lok Sabha polls were a fight between the “Sanatan Dharam and Muslims”.”
Negi stated, “Yai ladaye ab Sanatan Dharam aur Musalmano k bech mai hai. Aap Sanatan Dharam k loug hai aur apne dharam ki raksha khud karo. Gharo se bahar niklo aur jase yeh burkhe wale vote dalte hai lambi lambi line laga k… (This election is a fight between Sanatan Dharam and the Muslims. Come out to vote in large numbers, just like how these ‘burkhawale’ show up in long queues).”
In October 2024, Negi raided shop owners in the Mandawali area and threatened to close established owned by Muslims with “Hindu names”.
Negi was captured threatening a dairy vendor and uttering, “When your name is Mohammed Ayan, why have you put up a board that reads Rawal Dairy?”, adding, “Why are you betraying people in Hindu-dominated places?”.
Negi justified his actions by claiming that he was receiving complaints from people of the Hindu community about shopkeepers who belonged to other religious communities.
However, there are no legal stipulations in Delhi that enforce the revelation of religious identity or the renaming of businesses according to the religion of the owner.
Negi’s provocative actions have triggered religious politics and prejudice in local trade. Critics point out that such behaviour violates the concepts of secularism and non-discrimination on the grounds of religion.
Forcing saffron-coloured flags, which is the colour most preferred by the BJP and is symbolically related to the Hindu religion, on Vegetable Sellers’ carts, means that businesses must be segregated based on religion.
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