More than 500 small businessmen from Kharghar took out a protest march on Wednesday morning from Utsav Chowk to Sector 12 market in Kharghar. They claimed that followed COVID 19 norms and adopted the Gandhian way to protest against the decision of shutting down all shops except the essential services.
They had also protested on Tuesday when the local body asked to close their shops as they were under the impression that their shops can be kept open from morning 7 and to evening 8 pm.
However, an official from Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) showed the local body’s decision which directed to close down all shops except essentials. Following which they came on the road and started protest. Some of the shops were also sealed by the civic body. Later police disbursed them and since all shops are closed under the PMC.
The same day evening, all small businessmen held a meeting and decided to take put a protest march to lodge their resentment against the government’s decision. They sloganeered that who will end first Corona or the businessmen.
Vijay Patil, president of Ekta Vyapari Sangh, Kharghar said that they are against the decision as this will destroy them completely. “We adopted the Gandhian way to protest and demanded to take back the decision,” said Patil, adding that around 500 to 700 shopkeepers participated in the protest march that started at the Utsav Chowk in Kharghar and culminated at sector 12 of the node. “If the lockdown is not removed, the businessmen will end before the Corona,” said Patil.
Meanwhile, the civic administration retreated that they are just following the state government’s decision.
