Farmers Movement Archive

Ludhiana shopkeepers down shutters in solidarity with farmers

The bandh call by farmers protesting the Centre’s three contentious legislations earned a mixed response in the major retail markets here as quite a few shops opened on Friday.Even so, it was far from business as usual with patrons staying indoors while the agitated farmers claimed the city streets.Towards the afternoon, as farm unions marched past Chaura Bazaar, Model Town, Dugri and Ghumar Mandi,where most shops were open early in the day, these markets started to look more deserted. Traders stated that slight tension was witnessed at these markets when protesters asked them to down their shutters, but they opened their shops again in the evening.While wholesale garment stores, including those in Akalgarh and AC markets, were closed the whole day, majority of the shops on Gill Road too remained shut in support of the farmers.Other shopkeepers who had to close down said they did it on the request of the farmers and no scuffle was reported over the same.One of the shopkeepers in Ghumar mandi market, Taranjit Singh, said, “Retailers followed the normal routine and opened their shops in the morning. But they had to close down around 2pm after protesting farm union members came by and asked to keep the market shut to avoid any untoward incidents. Later in the evening, however, a section of the traders again opened their stores.”Similar scenes were witnessed in the Model Town area.Amarjit Singh, the president of Model Town market body, said, “Traders had to shut shops after the members of farmers’ bodies came to the market and requested to do so. We support the farmers, but shopkeepers too need to earn a living in these tough financial times.”However, shopkeepers at AC and Akalgarh markets showed solidarity with the ongoing farm bills protest by keeping their shutters down for the day. Gurcharan Singh and Manpreet Singh Bunti, the heads of respective market associations, said shops remained closed in their trading domain as a mark of support to the farmers.As per Model Town SHO Amritpal Singh and Division 8 SHO Jarnail Singh, no police complaints were reported from shopkeepers who were asked to close their stores by farm unions.Low footfall adds to traders’ woes The markets which opened on Friday wore a deserted look with city residents staying indoors amid the farmers’ protest on Friday. Shopkeepers rued that they were already reeling under losses and the protests further decreased the customer footfall.President of Chaura Bazar shopkeepers’ association, Parampal Singh, said, “The markets are already witnessing low footfall due to the ongoing pandemic and shopkeepers on Friday received only 5-10 percent response.”

Hindustan Times

26-09-2020

City