Photo Source: Babushahi Network
Unhappy over Curfew, Mohali traders stages protest against state govt
Mohali, April 27, 2021:
The city traders led by Beopar Mandal Mohali President Vineet Verma and General Secretary Sarabjit Singh Paras staged a protest on Tuesday against the Punjab Government's order to close all shops at 5 pm.
The traders chanted slogans against the Punjab government and declared that the traders would not abide by these orders of the government.
On the occasion, the trade leaders said that the policy of the state government was against the traders and the traders were being made scapegoats by the government. They said that on one hand, liquor contracts were being kept open and on the other hand people were being intimidated in the name of COVID.
The traders demanded that the administration should immediately reverse its decision of imposing curfew in the district from 6 pm onwards.
Vineet Verma said that the shopkeepers would not close their shops from 6 pm and this was made clear by a delegation of the Beopar Mandal during a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner here.
He said if the government wants to close their shops, it should also take responsibility for their expenses. He said that due to the last lockdown, the people of the area had suffered a lot and now the shopkeepers were being banned again. He questioned how the people working in the shops would run their houses in such a situation. “It was not the traders who were responsible for the spread of the disease but the political leaders who were holding daily rallies and gatherings but the administration was not doing anything against them,” said Vineet Verma.
Earlier, a delegation of the Beopar Mandal met Girish Dayalan, Deputy Commissioner, Mohali and apprised him of the problems faced by the shopkeepers due to the restrictions imposed by the government. They also said that the shops in UT remain open till 9 pm so the Mohali traders should be allowed to work in Mohali till 10 pm. Vineet Verma and Sarabjit Singh Paras said that the Deputy Commissioner has assured them that they would take their case to the government.
Notably, the state government imposed new restrictions amid surge of COVID cases on Monday. The state ordered curfew from 6 pm to 5 am and closure of markets at 5 pm. The weekend curfew has also been extended in the state now. Now, the curfew will be imposed on Saturday as well as Sunday.