In a controversial move on Saturday, the Varanasi unit of the Uttar Pradesh Jewellers Association (UPJA) announced that jewellery shops in the city will no longer sell jewellery to customers whose faces are covered by a burqa, mask, helmet, veil, or similar face coverings, citing rising incidents of theft, robbery, and fraud in jewellery stores.
Kamal Singh, district president of the UPJA in Varanasi, said that “We will not sell jewellery items to customers whose faces are covered. If a person with a covered face commits a crime, their identity cannot be established.” To enforce the rule, jewellers have put up posters outside their shops stating that entry is prohibited while wearing a mask, burqa, helmet, or veil.
Singh said that the move is aimed to improve security, he said “If a customer comes wearing a hijab, they should uncover their face upon entering the shop so that the jewellers can feel safe.”
Not against any religion
Satya Narayan Seth, president of the UPJA, added that similar notices have already been displayed in other districts such as Jhansi, noting that Varanasi alone has thousands of jewellery shops, all of which have faced problems with customers covering their faces. “Everyone is facing problems with people covering their faces,” Seth said, as he stressed that the association is not opposing any person’s religion. “Muslim customers can come wearing a burqa, but they should remove it before entering the shop so that their identity can be confirmed,” he explained.
However, not all jewellers agree with the policy. Shahid, a jeweller from the Lohta area, criticised the ban, saying, “It is wrong to refuse entry to customers wearing burqas. Such a refusal will drive away customers.” He added that “asking a woman wearing a burqa to remove it would be insulting.” Shahid said that thefts committed while wearing a burqa are rare and argued that female staff could verify the identity of women customers. “If there is a female employee in the shop, she can see the woman’s face, but a male employee cannot remove the woman’s burqa to see her face, this is not right,” he said.
Government advocate Rana Sanjeev Singh defended the jewellers’ decision, saying the measure “is not a wrong act.” He pointed to recent viral videos and media reports of women wearing burqas being caught on CCTV stealing from jewellery shops where their identities could not be established due to the veil. “Everyone has the right to their own security. There is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
