Gurugram’s reputation as an investment destination is at stake over growing vigilantism, feel industry insiders
Sectarian vigilantism in recent months has sullied Gurugram’s reputation as one of the favoured Indian destinations for iconic global companies. The millennium city, known as Gurgaon until 2016, is changing, albeit not for everything good.
Its rise as the fastest growing Information Technology and financial hub after Bengaluru and Mumbai with the third highest per capita income in the country and hosting 250 Fortune 500 companies was impressive as its rising skyline. But roving vigilantes and partisan governance may be chipping away at its glory now.
Right-wing vigilantism
Of late, Gurugram has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons that include right-wing groups opposing Friday Namaz in open public spaces and a lingering threat of confrontation between the two communities every week. Disruption of a Christmas carnival in a private school in Pataudi area on Christmas eve by a Hindu mob was another low for the cosmopolitan city. The right-wing Hindu outfits also held a mahapanchayat in Pataudi last year and openly called for violence against the religious minority.
Based on a complaint by a BJP functionary last month and the backlash on social media, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was dropped from a three-day event in December.
During Navaratri, the vigilante mobs roam the city forcing the meat shop owners to down their shutters. It has become an annual ritual while the civic authority has banned meat on Tuesdays . The local residents have accused the government of imposing its agenda on the citizens instead of taking appropriate action.
тАЬAny confrontation sets back the industry and such incidents defile the city’s image and hurt business sentiments,тАЭ said Animesh Saxena, general-secretary, Garments Exporters and Manufacturers Association. The apparel industry is the largest in Gurugram in terms of manpower and more than half of the employees are Muslims. Mr. Saxena said, the confrontations witnessed recently has created a sense of тАЬunease and unrest”. He added the business community was not too worried yet because there were no major incidents of violence and the administration and the police kept the situation more or less under control. However, he was apprehensive about тАЬundercurrentsтАЭ. “It might not be visible now but could have an impact in the long run,” he added.
Indifferent authorities
Gurugram is not just the new business capital for start-ups. The city is integral to the industrial and financial growth of Haryana and its contribution to the State’s tax collection has increased by 200 times over the past two decades. According to the statistics of District Industries Centre, Gurugram is home to 30 shopping malls, contributes to 20 per cent of the State’s revenue, provides 32 per cent of employment in factories and shares 62 per cent of total exports.
тАЬThe auto sector, IT companies, apparel units and pharmaceutical have been generating employment both for the outsiders, and the stateтАЩs youth. Businesses cannot be run based on caste, creed and religion. If Gurugram’s reputation is tarnished, it will be a major financial loss for the State,” said H P Yadav, president, NCR Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He rued the government had not taken enough measures to curb such unwarranted incidents. “Those in authority are only concerned about grabbing power and not bothered as much about the industry’s growth,” he remarked .
Police inaction
The role of the local administration and the police have been repeatedly questioned by the communities at the receiving end.
They have accused the authorities of not initiating action against the organisers of тАЬmahapanchayatтАЭ in Pataudi last year even though hate speech videos of the event went viral on social media. Only one speaker was arrested a few days after the event and appearing for him in the court, his advocate Kulbhushan Bhardwaj said his client was arrested because he was an тАЬoutsiderтАЭ and had тАЬno political connections in the stateтАЭ. He said the other orators gave inflammatory speeches but no action was taken against them. Haryana Police was biased against his client, he argued.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb recently moved the Supreme Court to initiate contempt action against Haryana authorities for not reining in тАЬhooligansтАЭ who have created an atmosphere of communal hatred and terror for worshippers offering Friday prayers in Gurugram. Along with two other Muslim clerics, he was booked this week for provoking with intent to cause riots.
A case was registered against Mr.Adeeb based on a complaint by Dinesh Bharti, founder, Bharat Mata Vahini. Whereas, the complainant himself has been at the forefront of protests against the Namaz in the open, and faces criminal charges.
тАЬWe gave a complaint and submitted evidence against three right-wing leaders for creating communal tension but the police did not take any action. Instead, a case was registered against us without any evidence,тАЭ said Mufti Mohammad Saleem Qasmi, president, Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, Gurugram.
