New Delhi: In a strong display of solidarity and national mourning, trade unions and market associations across Delhi have called for a one-day bandh on Friday, to honour the victims killed in the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which is spearheading the initiative, announced that over 900 markets in the national capital will remain closed.
According to reports, the shutdown is being voluntarily observed by the trading community and is not intended as a protest but rather as a symbolic tribute.
CAIT Secretary General and BJP member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal stated, “This bandh is not a form of protest but a national tribute. We stand with the families of the victims and the government in this moment of grief. All traders are urged to participate voluntarily and ensure the bandh is observed peacefully.”
The organisation has also appealed to Delhi Police and administrative authorities to maintain law and order throughout the day and assist in ensuring a calm and respectful environment during the market closures.
Many leading trade associations are backing the shutdown and have expressed their grief over the attack, calling for unity and resolve in the face of terrorism. The bandh is being seen as a collective expression of national sentiment and a message against such brutal acts of violence.
While most commercial markets are expected to remain shut, essential services, banks, government offices, and public transport, including the Delhi Metro, are operating as usual.
There has been no official directive from the Delhi government or police regarding the enforcement of the bandh, and participation remains voluntary.
Notably, establishments that choose to remain open will not be compelled to shut, as organisers have emphasised peaceful observance over forced participation.
On Thursday, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) protested by tying black bands in Connaught Place and took out a candle March.
Twenty-six tourists, including a Nepali national, were brutally killed by terrorists in the Baisaran region near Pahalgam on April 22. Following the attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the six-decade-old Indus Water Treaty.
(IANS)
