The Hindu : New Delhi News : Traders' bandh fails to evoke response

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 23, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Traders' bandh fails to evoke response

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, NOV. 22. The bandh call by Vishwa Hindu Parishad today in protest against the arrest of Kanchi Sankaracharaya failed to evoke any response here in the Capital. All retail and wholesale markets except for a couple of them in the Walled City area remained open, rebuffing the closure call which was supported by the Confederation of All India Traders.

Despite tall claims by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) about "success'' of the bandh, it was clear that traders had rejected the call for closure of trade and gone ahead with their chores in the usual manner. A round of various markets in the Capital showed no sign of any impact of the bandh on the retail or wholesale trade. Interestingly, some of the traders felt that the VHP or even the CAIT should not have made the arrest of the Sankaracharaya an issue for calling a bandh as it had nothing to do with the trade. "The fast being undertaken by various BJP leaders at Jantar Mantar has failed to attract even its cadres in a big way. How can the party think that it would get a big response to any such call by its frontal organisation or Sangh Parivar ally?'' a Chandni Chowk trader remarked.

All the markets, including Chandni Chowk, Nai Sadak, Chawri Bazar, and Sadar Bazar, remained open throughout the day. Some parts of the Khari Boli market downed their shutters during the day as the office-bearers of CAIT had a strong presence here. In other parts of the Capital, it was business as usual.

There was hardly any impact on the trade in Connaught Place, major part of Karol Bagh that now remains open seven days a week, Shankar Market, Bengali Market, Khan Market and other such places including the posh M-block Market in Greater Kailash Part I. Interestingly, the wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Azadpur, the wholesale steel products market in Wazirpur, and the various hardware markets in Mangolpuri remained open throughout the day.

Public transport plied normally and supply of essential commodities were as usual. Interestingly, even the pro-bandh traders felt that it was a wrong time to call for a bandh as the issue was not related to trade. They conceded that the bandh call had failed to evoke any response but were quick to add that this was due to the shortage of time at their disposal to organise the people and traders in a much better way.

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