LUDHIANA: Along with throwing normal life out of gear, the bandh called by dalit activists and supported by
congress and other parties caused losses worth crores to the businessmen across state. Majority of shops and factories in Ludhiana remained shut since morning and there were reports of some shops and offices which had opened being forcibly shut down by the sword wielding protestors. In some areas the workers were not allowed to commute to their work places by the commuters. According to the leading industry association of Punjab, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) the industry of Punjab has suffered losses worth several thousand crores in today’s bandh. Anger is brewing amongst businessmen against congress government for supporting the bandh and failure of government machinery to tackle the protestors.
According to Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of CICU, “Industry of Punjab has suffered losses worth several thousand crores due to today’s bandh. In addition to bearing today’s wages of our workers inspite of the shut down we will also have to the burden of fixed charges like electricity. Along with losing a day’s production we have not been able to dispatch finished goods to our buyers today”
Ahuja also said, “Bandhs like these are badly affecting image of our state and country and it puts us in bad light in front of our foreign buyers. On one side businessmen are working hard to make Punjab and India image more respectable in other countries but unfortunately governments whether state or centre are not handling the issue of protests seriously."
According to Narinder Bhamra, CEO of
Ludhiana Effluent Treatment Society, “Our workers were not allowed to reach the factories to work and in some areas even factories were forcibly shut down by some people. Due to this we have suffered huge losses of entire day’s production and I think in total industry of Punjab has suffered heavy losses to the tunes of several crores."
Frustrated by today’s situation several businessmen who are sympathisers of congress party lashed out against the state government on social media and held congress leaders responsible for the chaos. Speaking to TOI, on condition of anonymity a leading textile manufacturer said, “No businessman is against any person or organisation demanding his rights or voicing opinion against any wrongdoing. But it is very unfortunate that state government failed miserably to control the situation, instead of making proper security arrangements for ensuring the shops and factories to remain open today so that they don’t suffer losses, senior congress leaders themselves supported the bandh by coming out on streets.”
However Speaking to TOI on the issue of supporting the bandh which caused huge losses for businessmen, Member Parliament from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu said, “Our party’s stand is clear on this issue we are with the dalit community for their rights. But the decision to close the public transport, banks, shutting down mobile internet and sms service was taken to avoid any untoward incident and spreading of rumours by anti social elements and opposition parties which might have tried to take advantage of the tense situation. Unlike other states where even people have been killed in the protests, our government did everything it could to protect people’s lives and properties especially of the businessmen."
