The commercial markets wear a deserted look like it was during the lockdown period.
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The clarion call made by Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) and Sakal Maratha Samaj (SMS) to
observe bandh, in the district, on Monday, was held peacefully. The bandh was held to register protest against lathi-charge on Maratha agitators at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district.
The business fraternity preferred to keep their shutters down. The academic activities in the schools, colleges and university were also suspended. The service of state transport and smart city buses and auto rickshaws was also defunct during the period. The citizens experienced a lockdown situation as nearly all main markets were closed during the whole day.
Various political parties including Shiv Sena, MIM, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Sambhaji Brigade, Congress, NCP and other small parties also supported the district bandh.
Vyapari Mahasangh did not extend the support officially, but shopkeepers kept their establishments closed voluntarily.
The city’s major markets at Paithan Gate, Tilak Path, Sarafa Bazar, Gulmandi, City Chowk, Aurangpura, Cidco Hudco, T V Centre, Bajrang Chowk, Chishtiya Chowk, Connaught Market, Gajanan Maharaj Mandir, Jawahar Colony, Trimurti Chowk, Jai Bhavaninagar Chowk, Sutgirni Chowk, Shivajinagar, Osmanpura, Beed Bypass, Railway Station and Vedantanagar observed total closure of shops.
Participation of all party Maratha leaders
To observe successful bandh and avoid any untoward incident during the day, the Maratha leaders and activists from different political parties participated in the agitation. The activists were seen visiting various localities and reviewing the closure of establishments. The efforts were taken so that the bandh does not fail.
Shiv Sena leaders at Kranti Chowk
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) also supported bandh. Its leader Chandrakant Khaire, district chief Kishanchand Tanwani, former mayor Nandkumar Ghodele, tehsil chief Balasaheb Gaikwad, city chief Vijay Waghchaure, Balasaheb Thorat, Bandu Oak, Anand Tandulwadikar, women wing’s Pratibha Jagtap, Sukanya Bhosale and others staged ‘thiyya andolan’ (sitting agitation) at Kranti Chowk. The agitators also shouted slogans against the state government.
Suicide attempt foiled
Hundreds of youths gathered at Kranti Chowk and when they were shouting slogans, Mukundwadi’s Krishna Badwe, suddenly stood up and poured petrol on himself. He was about to torch himself, but Sambhaji Brigade’s Ramesh Gaikwad and Hanuman Shinde acted promptly and snatched away the match box from his hand, to evade the incident. The Kranti Chowk police detained and took him to the police station.
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Mixed response in Muslim areas
The Muslim traders, in some areas, responded to the bandh positively, while there was mixed response in Muslim-dominated localities of the city. The shops selling essential commodities were seen open at some corners.
The mixed response to the bandh was in Buddi Lane, City Chowk, Lota Karanja, Chelipura, Shah Bazar, Champa Chowk, Roshan Gate, Kiradpura and other surrounding areas. However, successful bandh were in Shahaganj, City Chowk, Rangar Galli, Aurangpura etc. The traders resumed their businesses in the evening. The milk centres, hospitals, dispensaries, tea stalls, hotels, paan shops were open in Muslim-majority areas to some extent. Many political parties and organisations including MIM and Muslim Reservation Front (MRF) supported the bandh.
Memorandum for Muslim reservation
A delegation of Muslim leaders and activists today submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner demanding to grant reservation to Muslims as per Sachhar Committee Report recommendations, this morning. Former corporators Mushtaq Ahmed, Mohsin Ahmed, Abeda Begum, Farhat Bano, Shaikh Munaf, Shaikh Naveed along with some other former corporators, corporators and activists were in the delegation.