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Traders, hoteliers and shopkeepers in Shivamogga are in distress over repeated incidents that have prompted the district administration to impose prohibitory orders, restricting business in the city. A day’s closure of commercial establishments affects turnover roughly ₹ 10 crores in the city with more than 300 hotels and 1,000 textile shops among other firms.
Shivamogga is an important centre in Malnad region, which has had restrictions in force since August 15 , when two groups clashed over displaying a poster of Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar in the city. They had undergone a similar situation in February this year when the Hijab row and the murder of Hindutva activist Harsha forced the administration to impose prohibitory orders. The business community is worried that the administration might continue the same situation until the festival season is concluded, leaving them with no buyers at a time considered to be the best season for textile merchants, hoteliers among others.
Post COVID-19
A delegation of business people, under the banner of Shivamogga chapter of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, met Deputy Commissioner Selvamani R. earlier this week and appealed to him to relax restrictions imposed on commercial establishments. N.Gopinath, president of the chamber, who also owns a hotel, told The Hindu, “The Hijab row and the murder of Hindutva activist happened when we had not yet come out of the COVID-19 impact. We have been reeling under loss for years. Hotels and lodges had no business for several months. This is the time to expect tourists. But there are hardly any,” he said.
When the clashes occurred on Monday afternoon, suddenly the police asked the shops to pull down the shutters. “The food prepared for lunch and dinner was wasted. There was no clarity on what would happen the next day. Unless we make preparation a day in advance, we cannot serve food in the morning. The hotels in Shivamogga record a turnover of ₹50 lakh a day,” said Shankaranayarana Holla, president of the Hotel Owners’ Association.
He has a hotel near Ameer Ahmed Circle, where the clashes were reported. There is heavy deployment of police and barricades restrict the movement of the public. “When there are barricades in front of my hotel, how can I expect customers to enter my hotel?” he asked.
Deepak Gupta, a cloth merchant at A.A. Circle, said he had been getting calls from his regular customers in Sagar, Thirthahalli taluks enquiring if his shops were open. “There is no clarity of timing. We have to close shops, whenever the police come and ask us to wind up the business. The people who triggered the clashes hardly understand the consequences,” he opined.
Plight of poor
Abdul Ghani, 64, has been earning his living by running autorickshaws in Shivamogga for the last 40 years. “I need about ₹ 500 a day for my family and return home as soon as I earn that much. For the mistake committed by one person, the entire community is blamed. People should learn to respect each other,” he said.
Small business establishments located at Ameer Ahmed Circle, K.R. Pura Road, Old Thirthahalli Road, are the worst hit, as there are traffic restrictions in these localities. Sadiq Ulla Khan, who runs a fruit shop at the circle, said if he closed his shop for a day, he would be losing at least ₹10,000. “Why should we fight over who is a freedom fighter? At the end of the day, the poor people suffer,” he said.
The district administration has assured the traders that it would make measures to bring back normalcy.
Mr. Selvamani told The Hindu, “The complaint by the shopkeepers is that the police force them to close business prior to the time mentioned in the order. I have instructed the police to go by the order.”
