Quick Summary:
- Delhi will witness a city-wide shutdown on Friday, April 25, in solidarity after the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
- Over 700 markets across the city, including major hubs like Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Khan Market, Chawri bazaar, Sadar Bazaar, and Kashmiri Gate, are participating.
- The bandh was called by the Delhi Hindustani Mercantile Association (DHMA) and supported by groups such as CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders),CTI (Chamber of Trade and Industry),BUVM (Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal),and Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh.
- DHMA General Secretary Bhagwan Bansal stated that the shutdown is meant to honour victims of the attack and support their families. By Thursday evening, over 150 markets confirmed participation.
- Chandni Chowk MP and CAIT General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal emphasized this was intended as a tribute rather than a protest. He urged traders to ensure peace during the bandh.
- BUVM’s Hemant Gupta expressed sorrow over unarmed tourists being targeted in Pahalgam’s incident.
- Essential services like medical stores, vegetable vendors, dairy shops, and petrol pumps will remain open amidst market closures; some transport unions are also supporting this call for unity.
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Indian Opinion Analysis:
This widespread market closure reflects the capacity of trade organizations to unite diverse commercial hubs for collective action driven by national tragedy. Through participation from groups such as CAIT and BUVM across prominent economic centers in Delhi – all responding swiftly – India’s traders underline socio-economic solidarity against terrorism while sending a strong message of grief alongside resilience.
The decision to avoid disruption of essential services ensures minimal inconvenience for people while balancing public sentiment with practical needs. It also sets an example of non-disruptive activism aimed at fostering national harmony. However events wherein vast cities mobilize broader citizen consensus imply how impactful tributions signal leaders likewise ongoing dispute