Ahmedabad – The garment store in Vastrapur area of the city that named itself Hitler after the German dictator has decided to drop the name after pressure from both the local and international community. The shop owners stated on Monday evening that they would soon come up with a new name.
Sources said Orna Sagiv, consul general of Israel at Mumbai, had met senior state government officials on Monday and impressed upon them that the shop’s name has upset Jewish community, both in India and around the world. She said she had received complaints from both Israel and other parts of the world.
The clothing outlet generated much curiosity and controversy after it was opened earlier this month. While the shop owners claimed that they simply chose the name due to nickname of one of the partners’ grandfather, the Jewish community did not take the matter lightly. Many of the city-based Jews made representations to the owners asking them to change the name given that the German dictator for responsible for the systematic murder of millions of Jews and other people in Europe.
Nikitin Contractor, convener of the Friends of Israel organization from Vadodara, had earlier told TOI that youngsters needed to be educated about the atrocities that Hitler committed on humanity at large half a century ago. “In the city of Mahatma Gandhi, how can anyone celebrate a person like Hitler?” he had said.
Manish Chandani, co-owner of the outlet, told TOI, “We have been hounded by various organizations from the city, state and nation ever since we opened. We have been unofficially told that the civic authorities will revoke permissions if we continue with the name. The matter has gone out of hand and we don’t want to take any chance,” he said. Rajesh Shah, co-owner, said that they were thinking of a new name.
Menashe Solomon, honorary secretary of Magen Abraham synagogue in the city said that he wanted to thank the owners of the shop and alert citizens.
“We are happy that the name change did take place. The support we have got from all the residents and international community is overwhelming,” he said.
Source: TIMES OF INDIA
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The Furher has lost his boutique.