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Working out in open, gym owners in Ludhiana demand permission to resume business
In their second demonstration in three days, gym owners and trainers staged a protest by exercising outside their respective gyms in Ludhiana on Saturday.
In their second demonstration in three days, gym owners and trainers staged a protest by exercising outside their respective gyms in Ludhiana on Saturday.
A police team confiscated the gym equipment from outside a gym near Issa Nagar Pull in the old city area.
Complaining of losses, gym owners demanded permission to resume their business as most other sectors, including markets, hotels and liquor vends had been allowed to reopen.
Gym Ekta Welfare Association director Ramesh Bangar said, “We are raising our voice against the discrimination by the government. Similar protests were held in various parts of the city. We ensured social distancing and took all precautionary measures. Yet, police seized equipment of a gym under political pressure. They returned it after some time.”
Bangar said since the gyms were closed over two ago, owners had been burdened with electricity bills, hefty rent and salaries of staff.
“But the government is not heeding our problems, even when working out helps boost a person’s immunity,” he added.
Later, MLA Sanjay Talwar assured the gym owners that he had taken up the matter with chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and the government will take a decision on the matter soon.
On June 4, different associations had staged protests by begging for alms at Jagraon bridge and exercising in the open near Jalandhar Bypass.
