Varanasi Jewellers Ban Sales to Burqa, Mask-Wearing Customers Over Security Fears

• Varanasi jewellers, under the Uttar Pradesh Jewellers Association (UPJA), have banned sales to customers with covered faces (burqa, mask, helmet, veil) due to rising theft and fraud concerns.
• The decision, made on Saturday, aims to establish identity for security, with posters displayed at shops prohibiting entry with covered faces.
• UPJA district president Kamal Singh and state president Satya Narayan Seth emphasize the move is for safety, not against any community or religion, and similar notices are in other districts like Jhansi.
• The association suggests customers remove face coverings upon entering for identity verification, citing incidents where covered faces hindered identification of suspects.
• The decision has sparked debate, with some jewellers like Shahid fearing business loss and insult to customers, while government advocate Rana Sanjeev Singh supports it as a legal security measure.

Why It Matters: Varanasi jewellers ban sales to customers with covered faces, sparking debate on security vs. religious sensitivity.