Traders in the State have threatened not to cooperate with the government in case a lockdown is imposed in view of the COVID-19 situation. The State secretariat of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti (KVVES) has decided to keep all shops open even if the government imposes restrictions.
“We cannot afford to close the shutters once more. The last two lockdowns have taken a toll on the merchant community. If we are asked to close down once more, there will be a riot in the State,” said Raju Apsara, samiti State secretary.
“There are thousands of people who closed down their operations for good due to business loss. Several committed suicide due to financial troubles. This cannot be repeated,” he added.
He said it was unscientific to close down shops to control crowd. “Shops are not what creates a crowd. It is weddings, party meetings, and conventions that need to be curbed,” he said adding that shops often functioned in a controlled atmosphere following the COVID-19 protocols.
However, the samiti was not against the Sunday lockdown as it did not affect the majority of the shops.
