Rattled by stiff opposition, the Jewellers Association of Maharashtra said it was prepared to adopt other security measures.
PUNE: Rattled by stiff opposition from Muslims to its move to bar veiled customers from shops, the Jewellers Association of Maharashtra said on Friday that it was prepared to adopt other security measures to avoid hurting the religious sentiments of any community.
"We didn't intend to hurt the sentiments of any religious community by deciding not to allow veiled customers into jewellery shops. Taking advantage of veils, many robbers have committed thefts," Fatehchand Ranka, the association's president, said.
"If our plan to bar veiled customers from jewellery shops hurt any community's religious sentiments, we are ready to look for other security options," he said.
"As closed circuit cameras were unable to take their pictures, they (robbers) still remain at large," he said.
The association's move to seek permission from authorities to bar veiled customers to prevent robberies was criticised by Islamic clerics and organisations, who said Muslims would boycott shops that imposed such a restriction.
Abdul Rahim Qureshi, assistant general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said the Jewellers Association's move was based on "unfounded allegations" and
"inspired by anti-Islamic sentiments".
"Their change has come after Muslims threatened a boycott and they realised this could hurt their business,"
In response to a shutdown called by the Jewellers Association, some 5,000 shops in Pune were closed on Friday and owners and workers took out a rally from its office to the offices of the district collector and police commissioner.
Muslim goldsmiths also took part in the rally that protested the administration's alleged failure to nab "veiled robbers".
"There were 100 Muslim goldsmiths in our rally that passed through main localities like Laxmi Road, Maruti Chowk, Ravivarpeth and Somwarpeth before reaching the district collector's offices," Ranka said.
The jewellers handed over a memorandum to the police commissioner and district collector, who expressed concern at growing incidences of robbery and said extra efforts would be made to nab the culprits, Ranka said.
He said if the administration did not act, the jewellers would intensify their protest across the state. Ranka said in the past six months, there were eight instances when veiled robbers had targeted jewellery shops.
Many shops had installed closed circuit cameras, but these proved ineffective due to the veils used by the robbers.
There were 50 robberies in jewellery shops in the past five years that caused losses of crores of rupees to owners.
Though no one was killed in the robberies, a couple of shop owners suffered serious injuries, he said.
The association's letter to the state home ministry and city police commissioner to allow its members to bar veiled customers from shops should not be taken in a religious context, Ranka said.
"We are only against robbers and thieves taking advantage of veils. However, if this plan of ours hurts any community's religious sentiments, we are ready to drop it and look for some other option for security against robberies," he added.
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