Madhya Pradesh: Shopkeepers support Congress party’s demand on relaxing prohibitory orders, corona guidelines

Hatpipliya (Dewas district, Madhya Pradesh): A day after failing to garner support from shopkeepers in the village, continuous efforts of Dewas District Congress president Ashok Patel has bore fruits as some shopkeepers along with Congress workers visited tehsildar's office on Tuesday to ask for relaxation in prohibitory orders and corona guidelines.

On Monday, Patel and his supporters had 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.

Meanwhile, Patel and other Congress workers said they will continue to raise shopkeepers’ demand before administration. Patel and other shopkeepers reached tehsildar Satyendra Berwa’s office and submitted memorandum. They said shopkeepers should be allowed to open their shops between 10 am and 6 pm.

After hearing their demands, tehsildar Berwa assured them that he will place their demands before district collector Chandramauli Shukla. Congress leaders said 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 small shopkeepers, middle class families, daily wagers were badly hit due to three-month lockdown last year and have yet to recover from financial crisis they suffered then.