Bharat bandh gets support in Cachar, while business associations urge people to keep shutters open
Silchar, Sep 26: While the Bharat Bandh on Monday called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) as a protest against the controversial farm laws has gained support from various organisations, the business associations in Cachar district have urged people not to waste a valuable day by keeping their shutters down.
On Friday, various farmers and labour organisations including the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) were seen at a rally in Silchar urging the people to make the bandh successful. Along with voicing their discontent against the three farm laws tabled by the Government, the bandh supporters took a dig at the BJP-led Government at the Centre on the price rise and power bill as well.
Condemning the recent incident at Sipajhar, CITU District Secretary Suprio Bhattacharjee said "farmers in the country are voicing against the steps taken by the Government in a historic agitation which has got support from various parts of Cachar district too. People are burdened with the escalation in prices of essentials which justifies Monday's bandh for which mass support is a must."
However, on Sunday, members from different business associations including Assam Chamber of Commerce, Central Coordination Committee of Associations Silchar, Food Grains Merchants Association and Chamber of Commerce Silchar have requested the traders' fraternity to continue their routine business operations.
"Along with the rest of the country, trade and commerce have been badly hit because of COVID-19. Now, when the situation has started to improve a bit especially ahead of the Durga Puja festivities, keeping the shutters down for a single day would harm us to a great extent. I appeal to the traders to continue their routine activities and also urge people coming to Silchar from various parts of the district not to be carried away with the call for bandh. We are hopeful that on Monday, security to life and property would be ensured by the administration," Vivek Podder, President south Assam chapter of Assam Chamber of Commerce told reporters.
Central Coordination Committee of Associations Silchar coordinator Asit Dutta, Food Grains Merchant Association general secretary Dipak Paul and Silchar Chamber of Commerce general secretary Mridul Mazumder were also present in the media interaction.
