Viral video shows BJP MLA intimidating Delhi's Muslim shop owners

The controversial BJP MLA Ravi Negi once again attempted to act as if he were the law in Delhi by threatening a Muslim shop owner for not displaying his Muslim identity, with serious repercussions, despite the Supreme Court's order against the forced display of nameplates in front of shops.

Negi was caught on camera harassing Muslim shopkeepers in Delhi, and the video, which went viral on social media on Wednesday, October 23, shows him demanding that shop owners prominently display their original Muslim names on shop signage.

In the video, Negi is seen raiding a shop and using a QR code scanner to verify the owner’s identity. He questioned why a shop owner, Nasrullah Khan, had not used his “real Muslim name” on the shop’s signage, despite the name already being displayed.

Negi escalated the situation by demanding to view Khan's Paytm transaction history, warning of harsh consequences if his demands were not met. This incident has been widely criticised as part of a pattern, with Negi having a history of targeting Muslim vendors in similar confrontations.

Negi’s actions have drawn significant backlash from activists and critics, who accuse him of promoting extremism and fostering a climate of fear among minority communities. Many argue that such behaviour reflects a dangerous trend of communal vigilantism, where political figures exploit their positions to intimidate marginalised groups. This, they claim, further isolates and stigmatises the Muslim community, particularly in areas dominated by Hindus.

Observers warn that Negi’s conduct is symptomatic of a broader issue of communal tension, with his actions being characterised as a form of intimidation that risks escalating social divides. The controversy has amplified calls for a more inclusive and tolerant society, with critics stressing the potential consequences of such tensions if left unchecked.

This latest incident is not Negi’s first controversial public appearance. He is a well-known political figure in Delhi, having contested the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections on a BJP ticket. Although he lost to AAP’s Manish Sisodia by a narrow margin of 3,514 votes, Negi has remained active in public life. His previous stunts, including a publicity-driven incident in June when he carried a boat through waterlogged streets in Delhi after heavy rainfall, have similarly attracted widespread attention.