BJP outsources Bharat bandh to traders in state

The BJP might have given a clarion call for the state bandh to protest against the Centre’s decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector, but they have outsourced the movement to 20 lakh traders to mobilise people and make it successful.

At a meeting of its core group held in Mumbai on Monday, the party urged traders’ associations across Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra to take responsibility and put up a good show.

The meeting, held at leader of the Opposition, Eknath Khadse’s residence, was attended by deputy leader of the Lok Sabha, Gopinath Munde, and leader of the Opposition in state council, Vinod Tawde, among others.

Highly placed sources in the party said, “Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has categorically told the BJP that it cannot support their protest, which is ill-timed, with the upcoming Ganesh festival.”

Thackeray has already informed the shakha pramukhs (Sena wings) in the city and suburbs not to disrupt the festival activities for the BJP’s protest on FDI. In a candid admission, Munde said, “I admit the FDI protest is ill-timed, as it clashes with the Ganesh festival. In Mumbai and the Konkan region, nearly 75 % of the families observe Ganesh pooja for at least one and half days. On September 20 (the second day of the pooja), there will be processions along the streets as families will set out for the immersion of the idols.”

Making matters worse for the BJP is the fact that a majority of its leaders have already left for their hometowns to celebrate the ten-day-long festival.

The state BJP chief, Sudhir Mungantiwar, has received several hundred calls from the leaders and workers expressing their inability to participate in the protest on Thursday.

The party has resigned itself to the fact that there will be a poor show on the day of the bandh in Mumbai and Konkan.

However, it has pinned its hopes on the rank and file to cooperate with the traders in Marathwada, western Maharashtra and Vidarbha region.

According to the BJP, nearly 20 lakh traders are going to be affected because of FDI in retail sectors.

Even if two-thirds of this figure take to the streets across the state, the bandh  will turn into a show-stopper.