Barbers hold protest, demand reopening of salons

Barbers in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra held a protest on Wednesday morning, demanding that the state government allow them to reopen their salons as the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdown has impacted their livelihood.The Maharashtra Nabhik Mahamandal, a state-level association of barbers, warned that if the government fails to grant permission to them by June 15, they would reopen the shops and were ready to face the consequences.While the government has given permission for several commercial establishments to operate as part of the easing of restrictions,barbers shops have been excluded from the list."Barbers agitated in front of their own shops this morning for an hour and urged the government to grant permission to them to reopen their salons," the Marathwada unit office-bearer of the association, Vishnu Wakhre, told reporters here."As part of the protest, the barbers stood in front of the shops carrying placards, which mentioned their demands.Besides the demand of permission for reopening of the salons, the protesters also sought waiver in electricity bills and called for a relief package, PPE kits and insurance cover," he said. Wakhre said that the salons have been shut since nearly the last three months."Many barber associations have given written representations to the state earlier, but the government has ignored," Wakhre said."Now, if permission is not granted by June 15, barbers will open their shops and will be ready to face any legal action," he added.