Missing safirs, migrants & drop in business send alarm bells ringing

Nagpur: The missing safirs (charity agents), migrant hawkers and a drop in the number shoppers at the peak of the holy month of Ramzan has sent alarm bells ringing among Mominpura residents ahead of Thursday’s Lok Sabha election results.
Monetary aid (zakat and fitr) given during Ramzan attracts lots of agents (safirs) belonging to needy madarssas and masjid trusts from across the country to Mominpura which is home to a large number of masjids.
Similarly, the area also hosts special Eid markets where migrants set up stalls beside local shops to make a quick buck. On Wednesday, TOI visited the place only to find that the makeshift stalls were yet to come up on the Jama Masjid Road. Regular shops too didn’t see any rush even though some attributed it to the intense summer heat.
The first sign of apprehension regarding BJP’s probable return to power was noticed in the sudden drop in the number of charity seekers during the second Juma (Friday prayers) on May 17. “There were just 8 to 10 safirs waiting for donations outside Jama Masjid after the last Juma while their numbers used to be as high as 50 at this time of Ramzan,” said an office bearer.
On enquiring, the office bearer found that those from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have hastily returned after panic calls from their homes. Recently, two safirs were attacked and looted in Mumbra, added a shopkeeper, pointing out that the exit poll analysis have further heightened concerns over safety and free movement. “People are worried that they may be stuck because of violence or any other threatening developments after the actual results are declared and that they won’t be able to return home for Eid. Those planning to travel back to their native places too have held back their plans as of now,” said a local trust member.
A shopkeeper said that though on the face of it, everything appears normal, but a telling fear has gripped even the locality flocked by migrants during Ramzan. “Migrant hawkers have stayed away from setting up stalls in Mominpura fearing return of hate politics. By the time, they complete their work and prepare to return home, the new government would have taken charge. If it is BJP, they feel it will be a problem,” another local vendor said.
Differing with these sentiments, president of the United Students’ Association (USA) Javed Ansari said the safirs came early and moved ahead this time to escape summer while business too has been excellent.
Muslims staying outside Mominpura prefer to look at the hype created by exit polls in a different way. Salman Ahmed, a resident of Jafar Nagar, said Muslims are more worried about the harm the BJP government has done to the Constitution of India. “Yet, who ever wins the election, we are ready to face it. We will work to create a sense of nationalism among Indians to remove the rift created in the last five years,” he said.