Social boycott of 10 muslim families in MP’s village:Driver loses job after Hindu conference call to end dealings; local woman say atmosphere unprecedented

A serious case of alleged social boycott of 10 Muslim families has surfaced in Ghoti–Nandora village under the Lanji police station area of Balaghat district. The boycott is said to have followed statements made at a Hindu convention held in January, where calls were allegedly made to completely cut off social and economic ties with the Muslim community. According to the affected families, villagers were urged at the convention to stop eating, drinking, and conducting any kind of transactions with Muslims, and to meet all daily needs only through members of the Hindu community. Since then, the situation in the village has reportedly changed drastically, directly impacting the livelihood and daily lives of Muslim residents. Driver removed from job, electrician unemployed for a week Due to the alleged boycott, bus driver Asif Hussain has been stopped from driving a school bus, while electrician Sadiq Hussain has been without work for the past seven days as people have refused to hire him. Boycott announced through village crier Villagers allege that grocery shopkeepers have refused to sell essential items to Muslim families, and barbers have declined to cut their hair or shave their beards. It is also claimed that the village kotwar (village crier) was used to make public announcements formally declaring the social boycott. “We have never seen such an atmosphere before,” says local woman Khairun Nisha, a local woman from the village, said they had gone to speak to others regarding the statements made at the convention. She said the village had never witnessed such an environment earlier and that people from all communities used to live together peacefully. Now, because of the boycott, families are facing severe difficulties. She added that children are afraid to go to school and women are being forced to live in an atmosphere of fear. Former MLA alleges hate speech, demands probe Former MLA Kishore Samrite has strongly objected to the alleged social boycott, calling it a violation of constitutional rights. He has demanded an investigation by the Union Home Ministry, police flag marches in both villages, and a judicial inquiry into the entire incident. Samrite also alleged that the village sarpanch, secretary, and members of the block and district Panchayats are supporting the boycott. He claimed that hate speech is being delivered by installing religious flags at temples and public squares, and accused the police and intelligence agencies of remaining silent despite the seriousness of the incident.