As many as 8,000 shops in Chickpet and surrounding areas were closed for half a day on Thursday in protest of the ‘anti-national’ statements made at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the series of events that followed.
Most commercial establishments in Chickpet including RT Street, BVK Iyengar Road, Chickpet, Mamulpet, OTC Road and surrounding areas wore a deserted look. A rally was also organised from RT Street to the Mysore Bank Circle and slogans stating “Anti-India, Quit India” were raised. Hukkum Das Vaishnav, a shopkeeper, said some shops were closed for half a day while some had shut down business for the whole day. While the shopkeepers had planned the protest in advance, customers were confused. It was a dull day resembling a Sunday, he added. “I closed my shop for the whole day. I am an Indian and I do not like what people in the guise of students did in JNU,” said Bhuvan Das, a shopkeeper. “Though the decision to organise the bandh was voluntary and that of the shopkeepers, we supported it and suggested that it will be better if done collectively,” said Leela Shivakumar, Chickpet corporator.
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