RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Chandigarh; Sector 40 shops closed, people inconvenienced

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 5

The police barricaded the main roads leading to Sector 40-D and forced around 10 shopkeepers to shut business for “security concerns” as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat reportedly arrived at Sharda Sarvhitkari School in the sector today.

The internal road leading to the school was completely blocked and the traffic was being diverted. While commuters were harrowed by the abrupt restrictions on their movement, shopkeepers in school’s vicinity resented the forceful shutting of their shops.

Lalit Gujral of Gujral Departmental Store shared, “Suddenly the police came and started asking us to close down the shops. While shops in the main market are open, only 10 of those near the school have been shut. I don’t understand the logic behind this. Our business is suffering.”

The owner of Kiran Medicose, Ajay Jindal, said, “This is absolutely not done. They came and said the shops will be closed from 6pm to 8pm. I’ve had to ask the customers to go back. What about people who need medicines? I’m losing my customers like this.”

Suresh Malhotra of Mittu Crockery House said, “It’s absolutely unexpected. They could have told us in advance that the shops will be shut. In fact, people are not being allowed to park their cars here even. Such events should be held in Rally Ground. Why inconvenience the common man?”

The police personnel at the barricades were impatient with the general public. Two women, accompanied with a little boy, on a scooter, who were residents of the sector, were also miffed by the rude behaviour of a policeman who asked them to turn back and not ask any questions.

“I just politely asked the cop why the road had been blocked, but he was so rude to me. It’s unacceptable,” she said, refusing to be named.

When contacted, SP (City) Ketan Bansal said, “This has been done keeping the security in view. The arrangements were done by the security branch of the Chandigarh Police.”

Farm activist Sarvesh Yadav said, “I arrived with a couple of people late at the site, but there was heavy barricading. We couldn’t show any flags or stage even a symbolic protest, as per the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, because we didn’t come to know even where RSS chief Bhagwat got out from there.”