The Madhya Pradesh bandh called by the Congress party over Vyapam issue evoked mixed response in the State Capital. A little impact of the bandh was seen at those places where Congress leaders reached, that too for a while. As soon as the leaders left the place, the shops opened again.
Eateries were seen open in many parts of the city since early morning. The shopkeepers and market associations were not ready to close their shops due to Eid festival and they have conveyed their message to the Congress party also that they would not participate in the bandh.
The highlight of the day was that wherever the Congress leaders forced bandh the BJP leaders reached and opened the markets and shops. This type of position came in New Market, Jehangirabad and Chowk areas.
Police administration made elaborate arrangements to face any untoward incident, in the wake of High Court directives. Over three thousand police personals were deployed in the city but the day passed off peacefully.
In most of the city areas in Bhopal, Congress workers led by general secretary Digvijay Singh took out rallies in various city market including New Market and others urging traders to keep their establishments closed while police personnel were seen urging traders to open their shops in various areas.
Backed by the BJP, several traders’ organisations in the State Capital had circulated advertisements in newspapers and markets urging traders to keep shops open on Thursday.
leader of Opposition Satyadev Katare said they were urging traders to keep their shop shuts for protesting the sinister Vyapam scam.
Katare also alleged that the police were trying to open shops and arresting Congress workers everywhere. “At several places shopkeepers closed their shops willingly but police threatened them to open their shops,” said Katare.
The bandh call was not effective in Indore - a BJP hub for long. Workers of both the parties came face to face at city’s landmark in Rajwada and heavy police force was deployed for keeping things under control.
In Jabalpur, Congress workers wearing black clothes, took out rallies in markets and urged the traders to keep the shops closed.
Congress State president Arun Yadav said that Congress is pressing for three demands-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s resignation, SC-monitored probe into Vyapam scam and bringing investigation agencies into monitoring of the CBI.
Despite vociferous opposition from the Muslims, Congress had decided to persist with the bandh call.