SHOPS CLOSED IN SOME JAIPUR MARKETS

: The day-long Bharat Bandh called saw two different pictures emerge in Jaipur.

While the majority of the shops remained open in Adarsh Nagar Market, near Tonk Phatak, most of the outlets remain closed in Mahesh Nagar Market, which is only a kilometre away from it.

Shop owners in Adarsh Nagar area refused to close shops and said that they had suffered equally under the Congress regime and they cannot bear losses. “Inflation is at its peak, and both the governments are equally responsible for it. Closing shops during bandhs will add to our burden,” said Atul Agrawal, who runs a bookshop in Adarsh Nagar Market area.

In the Walled city, 40% shops between Sanganeri Gate and Badi Chaupar remained open with half shutters down, while most of the markets between Ajmeri Gate and Choti Chaupar were closed. The effect of Bharat Bandh in Tripoliya Bazar and Chandpole was almost negligible as it remained open and people were seen shopping. Although early on Monday morning, a minor scuffle broke out between Congress workers and traders in Tripoliya Bazar.

Markets remained partially closed in Bajaj Nagar, Tonk Road, Gopalpura Bypass and Riddhi Siddhi area. In order to maintain law and order, four companies of Rajasthan Armed Constabularies (RAC) in Jaipur, one constabulary each in Baran and Bharatpur and one small platoon to Ajmer were deployed by the police department. HTC

VASUNDHARA RAJE, chief minister JAIPUR