Come Ramzan month, and it is natural to witness heavy shopping activity. However, with lockdown due to the coronavirus, the way the holy month is being observed has changed. And keeping in with the changed situation, many are calling for Eid celebrations in which there is little buying of clothes. Instead, the money should be used for charitable purposes, is their advice.
Many from across India have taken to social media to urge that money used for Eid shopping be used instead to sponsor education of those who cannot afford it or to pay rent for those who find themselves unable to do so due to lockdown. The hashtag #SayNoToEidShopping is seen both on Facebook and Twitter. Messages on WhatsApp have been shared encouraging people to follow this trend.
“The lockdown vis-a-vis Ramzan and Eid is perhaps telling people what is more important in life. It is making people more humane, empathetic. This is the reason why instead of using the money I set aside to buy clothes for family, I will perhaps pay school fee for a student whose parents cannot afford it,” says Waheed Ahmed, a techie and resident of Tolichowki.
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Others like Syeda Sumaira, a homemaker, too expressed similar thoughts. “The privileged already have all they need for Eid. Despite the uncertainty over lockdown, there is merit in avoiding shopping and helping those in need,” she said.
However, there are others who disagree. They said that at a time when small businesses are going bankrupt and artisans are out of work, the need of the hour is to support them by engaging in purchases. “Though I appreciate its spirit, I am not convinced by this ‘no buying’ initiative. I want people to buy more so that traders hit by lockdown can be compensated,” says Dr. Syed Faheem, a dentist.