By Sayantani
Delhi Elections 2025: Ravinder Negi, BJP candidate for the Patparganj seat, garnered attention on Wednesday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen touching his feet during an election rally ahead of the Delhi Elections 2025. Negi, an East Delhi councillor, previously stirred controversy in October 2024 for urging Muslim shopkeepers to display their ‘real’ names outside their businesses.
In October, Ravinder Negi was seen in several viral videos approaching shopkeepers, particularly those selling dairy products, and directing them to display their real names.
The East Delhi BJP councillor was also heard telling a shopkeeper, “Navratri is coming and to support the sentiments of Hindu customers, people should clearly specify their Muslim names on shops.”
‘Tomar is a Hindu Surname’
In Chander Vihar, Delhi, Ravinder Singh Negi confronted the owner of ‘Tomar Dairy’, demanding to know his name and religion. When the shopkeeper, Altamash Tomar, identified himself as a Muslim, Negi questioned why the shop bore a surname typically associated with Hindus.
Ravinder Negi pressured the shopkeeper to change the name to one that clearly indicated his Muslim identity, threatening that failure to comply would result in the shop being forcibly shut down.
“Rawal Dairy”
In another incident, Ravinder Negi also confronted a dairy vendor, saying: “When your name is Mohammed Ayan, why have you placed a signboard that says Rawal Dairy? Why are you betraying people in a Hindu-dominated area? We have no fight against you. This is unfair. So better change the name immediately.”
This story was originally published in livemint.com. Read the full story here.
