Major wholesale and retail markets, where Dalits have a sizeable population, were forced to shut down
Protesters forced wholesale and retail shopkeepers to shut down their businesses in Ahmedabad as a part of nationwide protests by Dalit organisations. Essential services like medical stores and petroleum were also not spared, they complained.
Major wholesale and retail markets, where Dalits have a sizeable population, were forced to shut down. Madhupura market, a major centre for wholesale trading of spices and grains had to shut down as youth forced to down the shutters.
"Entire market had to remain closed because of the protests," said Hiren Gandhi, a leading trader of spices in New Madhupura market.
The scenario was same in the textile markets of the city. "Today we recalled the protests by Rajputs against movie Padmaavat. Law enforcement agencies were too few and late to respond as protesters gatecrashed major markets and forced businessmen to close their shops," said Gaurang Bhagat, president of Maskati Kaapad Mahajan, a body representing textile traders in the city.
Retail shops in Ambawadi and Panchvati areas were also forced to shut down. Protesters did not spare even essential services like medical stores and petrol pumps. Arvind Thakkar, president of Gujarat Petroleum Dealers Association said that petrol pumps in the vicinity of areas with significant Dalit population were forced to shut down. "About 50 of 175 odd petrol pumps had to stop operations because of the protests," Thakkar told DNA.
Rajendra Patel, secretary of Federation of Gujarat State Chemist and Druggist Association said starting calls regarding forcible closure of medical stores started pouring in from different localities of city. However, considering that medicines are essential commodities, the shop had later on reopened.
e-Way Bill not an issue as traffic subdued: There were no issues with e-Way Bill on the second day of its nationwide rollout. As a result of All India Bandh by Dalit organizations, traffic remained subdued. The beginning of the new financial year also resulted in lesser traffic, said transporters.
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