TEARS IN THE SECULAR FABRIC

Even Hindus protest as Indore market imposes an exodus on Muslim employees

- By Rahul Noronha

IF THE OLD TEXTILE METAPHOR FOR society is still valid, a century-old cloth market in Indore has torn the fabric a bit more. In the state's latest act of economic apartheid, 30-40 Muslim sales boys have been sacked by their Hindu employers and some trad- ers expelled. All on the orders, say the victims and the Con- gress, of Eklavya Singh Gaur, son of Indore lV MLA Malini Gaur and Shivraj Chouhan-era minister, late Laxman Singh Gaur. The events cast a shadow on the fes- tive season in the state's finan cial capital; the local administra- tion is on the edge but silent.

THE DIKTAT