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Prayagraj: Known for bustling food biz, Atala is still a fortress a week after violence
A week after protest post Friday namaz on June 10 turned violent, normalcy has still not returned to Atala area of Prayagraj
A week after protest post Friday namaz on June 10 turned violent, normalcy has still not returned to Atala area of Prayagraj.
The once teeming eateries and hotels in the area, known for their non-vegetarian cuisine, still wear a deserted look with people not turning up to relish kebab-parathas or biryani at a few small shops that have resumed business despite.
Workers and staff of these eateries are the worst hit due to the violence that has forced most of the shops to remain closed for the sixth consecutive day on Thursday.
On security front, the Atala area is still a fortress with administration leaving no stone unturned to ensure peace during the next Friday prayers.
Violence had erupted in this Muslim-dominated Atala area on last Friday after people gathered to protests the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed by now suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma and now expelled party leader Naveen Kumar Jindal.
There are around 250 shops on both the sides of Shaukat Ali Road from Barrier Crossing to Golpark in Atala. Most of them are restaurants and small eateries of non-vegetarian food. Besides, dozens of locals run small kiosks of ‘biryani’ and other food items on the pavements and roadsides also.
However, since the violence on June 10, most of the eateries and shops on Shaukat Ali Road have not opened as residents are locked inside their homes and are venturing out only when necessary and unavoidable.
The officials, in a bid to make the situation return back to normal, have urged the traders to open their shops and get engaged in their routine works. However, owing to crackdown by the police, most of the people are too scared to start their businesses again.
Some small shops ahead of Atala crossing opened on Wednesday but no customers turned up, confirmed Rehan, a foodie from the area.
A resident of the area, Mohd Qasim said that situation may take some time to return to normal as locals and traders are too scared following the violence.
Another Atala resident, Salman Ali said specific mention of local shop owners and eateries helping rioters in one of the FIRs lodged in the wake of the violence has further instilled fear among them. In such situation, majority of people are not ready to open the shops, he added.
Kallu, a small eatery owner, said with hardly any customers turning up, it is futile to open the shops. The cooks and labourers working on daily wages are the worst hit due to violence. They have no other work to do and are now surviving on food given by locals. Many who were from outside had fled and may not return for many months, he added.
However, another local Mashkoor Ahmad said that situation may start returning to normal after Friday prayers pass off peacefully.
Locals here themselves want peace and have openly condemned the violence and stone pelting on cops. Many themselves helped policemen during the violence and served them snacks and water, he claimed.
District magistrate Sanjay Khatri said concrete steps have been taken to maintain peace in the area during and after Friday prayers. Officials are in touch with religious heads and local residents and are urging them to cooperate with the administration. Traders have been urged to open their establishments and help bring the situation back to normalcy, he added.
