Ludhiana: Traders want shops to open on Sundays in festive season, warn of protests

Traders said that they would raise an agitation if the government failed to take a final decision on the matter by October 3

Already reeling under losses due to the Covid-19 lockdown imposed since March, traders under the umbrella of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal on Wednesday gave an ultimatum to the state government to lift the lockdown on Sundays for the upcoming festival season, or face protests.

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Traders said that they would raise an agitation if the government failed to take a final decision on the matter by October 3. They said that if the government can allow farmers to gather in thousands and protest on the streets, then why traders be allowed to open shops on Sundays.

A meeting of the Beopar Mandal was held on Tuesday wherein they slammed the state government for not listening to their demands.

State general secretary of Beopar Mandal Sunil Mehra said, “The retail trade business in the country has suffered a loss of ₹23 lakh crores due to the pandemic and the Sunday lockdown would further hit businesses. Traders are struggling to make ends meet due to low footfall in the markets. Many of them were forced to shut down business as they were unable to meet fixed expenses. Traders are pinning hopes on the festival season and many people from other districts and states visit the city markets on Sundays. If the government failed to lift the Sunday lockdown, then traders will take to the streets to protest against the government.”

State secretary Mohinder Aggarwal and district president Arvinder Makkar said, “We will wait for the government to take a decision by October 3 and it fails to provide any solution, a meeting of the Beopar Mandal will be held and agitation would be launched across the state.”