(Siasat News)In the city of Hyderabad, an epidemic is on the increase. It is squeezing the blood of the poor Muslims like bugs, which bite human beings and make them suffer from malaria. This epidemic is that of the moneylenders and money lending centers, which have established a wide network in Muslim concentration areas. These moneylenders are making Muslim families bankrupt.
They are not concerned to save Muslims brethren from this epidemic, which is making the Muslim Community shallow economically.
These moneylenders are from Rajasthan.
These Rahen centers are functioning mainly in Muslims areas.
Earlier also, the attention of the Muslim Community was invited to save this community from the clutches of these moneylenders. Nobody came forward.
A survey was made in the Muslim localities. Interviews were taken from the owners of Rahen centers, ladies and others.
It was revealed the moneylenders who have come from Rajasthan run 99% of these centers. They have been engaged in this business for more than ten years. It was very surprising that many owners are from the same family. They have a union and they have its president also. The more surprising thing is that they don’t have a license to operate this business. They don’t even have any arrangement to deposit the gold ornaments in banks. They keep these ornaments in their houses where there is no security. If these ornaments are stolen, these moneylenders don’t take any responsibility.
They issue a temporary receipt for the ornaments mortgaged with them.
These centers are not registered in police stations. They don’t have their residential addresses written anywhere. They don’t have any account in any bank.
If these moneylenders run away with the ornaments, they can’t be traced out.
The owner of one such Rahen center was interviewed. His name is Shambhu Singh. He told that he has been running this center for more than ten years. He lends money at the rate of 2.5% or 3% interest per months against mortgaging gold ornaments. He admitted that he has no license. There is only a letter given by the president of their union to run the business. No rules or regulators work. He told that many poor and illiterate persons approach him for getting money on interest. One such needy woman Ms. Zebunnisa was interviewed. She told that she had mortgaged her ornaments for Rs. 6,000 a year back and the receipt has been lost. She told that her husband is a rickshaw puller.
When she was asked, “Why do you approach these Rahen Centers? She replied, “ If Muslims arrange interest free loans, why should we go to these money lenders?”
On listening to her reply, the reporter of Siasat felt ashamed.
It is the duty of the Muslim Community to create awareness among the Muslims that giving and taking interest is sinful in Islam.
Mosque committees and other organizations should come forward to save Muslims Community from the clutches of these moneylenders.
—-Siasat News