The State BJP unit has hit Ranchi district administration for removing roadside vendors at Morabadi ground on security grounds after a shootout took place near the residence of JMM chief Shibu Soren a few days back.
On Thursday, in a gang war, a dreaded criminal Kalu Lama was shot dead and his two associates namely Raju Lama and Shubham Vishwakarma were grievously injured. The police suspect involvement of criminal Luvkush Sharma.
Now, after the incident the Ranchi district administration declared the area surrounding Morhabadi ground a prohibited area and all roadside shopkeepers have been asked to pack off. Besides, section 144 has been imposed in the area where no meeting and demonstration can take place.
The decision of the administration to remove roadside shops will affect around 1,000 shops and the families depending upon it.
The BJP has criticized the order and said that poor shopkeepers are victimized. “Instead catching criminals and improving law and order, the government is victimizing roadside shopkeepers. Will this solve the problem? Are these shopkeepers responsible for the increase of crime? The government should first do a crackdown on high-level illegal activities and extortion business going under the nose of the government,” said Yogendra Pratap, spokesperson of Jharkhand BJP.
Kumar Roshan who heads the outfit of shopkeepers of Morhabadi said that shopkeepers peacefully do their business. “By removing our shops, the government is making us unemployed. How are we responsible if anything has gone wrong? We can keep our shops closed for a week if the police ask us to improve law and order. But we will resist if our shops are removed,” he said.
The BJP has extended support to shopkeepers. “Going by this logic, the government should close all shops in the areas where crime takes place. The law and order are in a poor condition in Jharkhand. The crime graph has increased in Jharkhand. The Morabadi shootout is an example. There is a police picket at Morabadi. But despite this the crime took place. The BJP stands with all innocent shopkeepers,” said Pradeep Sinha.