Asked why she didn't opt for a better job, Raisa Ansari said she didn't get one.
Highlights
- The woman protested against municipal officials for removing her pushcart
- She alleged that vegetable vendors were being harassed
- She says repeated curbs have left fruit and vegetable sellers penniless
A woman vegetable seller's fluent English and her claim that she had completed a PhD (Doctor Of Philosophy) in Material Science from Indore's Devi Ahilya University before starting the business, has astonished the Internet. Her video of protest against the city's municipal corporation for allegedly removing her pushcart is viral on social media.
The woman, named Raisa Ansari, on Thursday, protested against the municipal authorities when they came to remove the roadside vegetable carts. Speaking in fluent English, she alleged that vegetable vendors were being harassed by municipal officers.
When asked about her education, she said she had been a research scholar.
In a viral video, she says that the repeated curbs at Indore's markets because of the coronavirus pandemic have left the fruit and vegetable sellers penniless.
"At times, one side of the market is closed, the second one is shut by the administration; and there are hardly any buyers. What we are supposed to feed our families. I am selling fruits and vegetables here. People standing here are my family and friends. There are more than 20 members in the family. How will they survive? How they will earn? There is no rush on the stall but still, these officials keep telling us to run away," she says.
Asked why she didn't opt for a better job, she said she didn't get one.
"The first question is: who will give the job to me? The perception that coronavirus is being generated from Muslims has become common now. Because my name is Raeesa Ansari, no college or research institution is willing to give me a job," she alleged.
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have pushed millions on the brink of financial collapse. Though the Centre last month allowed the opening of most of the businesses with some curbs, the buyer sentiment is subdued because of a steady growth of coronavirus cases.
As many as 118 people were tested positive for COVID-19 in Indore on Wednesday, taking the tally of infected individuals to 6,457 in the district.