Hatpipliya (Dewas district, Madhya Pradesh): Dewas district rural Congress president Ashok Patel and his supporters faced awkward situation when small shopkeepers did not support their call for relaxation in prohibitory orders and corona guidelines. After waiting for more than two hours, Patel and his supporters returned to their respective places on Monday.
The Congress leaders had sought shopkeepers’ support and asked them to gather at Devgarh Square as they decided to submit a memorandum to Hatpipliya tehsildar addressed to Dewas district collector, chief minister and the President of India.
But lack of support left them red-faced. Patel and his supporters said they had a talk with Dewas district collector Chandramauli Shukla over phone and made him aware of problems faced by small shopkeepers in the villages due to strict corona guidelines and prohibitory orders.
They requested district magistrate for some relaxation and allow small shopkeepers to open their shops. Patel also objected for not inviting former minister Sajjan Singh Verma at the meeting called to discuss lockdown measures.
Congress leaders added that they support administration’s efforts to check corona epidemic. Since grocery stores, vegetable markets, milk parlours, medical shops, hospitals are allowed to function, administration should also allow small businessmen to open their shops.
Congress leaders said majority of small shopkeepers, middle classes, daily wagers were badly hit due to three-month lockdown last year and have yet to recover from financial crisis.
