Jewelers in western India have apologized to Muslims for proposing to ban women wearing burqas from their shops following a series of thefts by burqa-clad customers.
British radio (BBC) reports that the jewelers association in the city of Pune withdrew its request Friday for a ban on serving women who wear face veils or burqas. The association says it decided not to pursue the ban for fear of offending religious sentiments.
Jewelers asked police for the ban after surveillance cameras showed veiled thieves stealing. Shopkeepers and police say they cannot identify them because their faces are covered.
The jewelers say the request was a security measure and was not targeted at minority Muslims in Pune.
The request sparked tensions among local Muslim leaders who said the ban discriminated against Muslim women.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
