Bhopal, July 16
The shutdown call of the Congress and other opposition parties in
Madhya Pradesh over the Vyapam scam evoked a mixed response as heavy
deployment of security forces prevented any untoward incident from
taking place.
Though normalcy prevailed with regard to essential
services in the state, at some places public transportation was affected
by the shutdown.
Tension gripped some places due to the presence
of both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress supporters. Small
businesses were affected in the morning, as they feared violence.
The
opposition parties in Madhya Pradesh pressed their demand that Chief
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan should step down and the ongoing CBI
probe should be carried out under the Supreme Court's supervision.
The
Vyapam scam came to light in 2013 and has since assumed mind-boggling
proportions, leading to the arrest of nearly 2,100 people. Over 40
people linked in some way or the other to the scam have died, some
mysteriously and some have committed suicide.
In Bhopal, at places like Maharana Pratap Nagar, New Market, and old Bhopal people faced difficulty in shopping.
Congress
national general secretary Digvijaya Singh and state leader Arun Yadav
hit the road to seek public support for the shutdown call. However, many
people opened their shops late afternoon.
Educational and medical institutes remained unaffected by the shutdown.
In
Maharana Pratap Nagar, some BJP supporters were seen appealing people
to open their shops and thwart opposition parties' bid to impose their
will upon the state.
In Indore, there was a mixed response to the
shutdown call. While Congress supporters were seen offering roses to
shopkeepers and asking them to put the shutters down, the BJP supporters
were going round exhorting the shopkeepers not to heed the opposition
call.
In Rajwara area, police prevented scuffle between Congress and BJP supporters by making timely intervention.
There
was a mixed response of the shutdown call in Jabalpur too. Though shops
remained shut in the morning, as the day wore on the traders and
shopkeepers opened their establishments. Public transportation was also
affected somewhat, but educational institutes and health centres
functioned normally.
Gwalior too witnessed a mixed response to
the shutdown. Though shutdown remained effective here till afternoon,
the markets opened normally later the day.
Claiming their shutdown as a complete success, the Congress blamed BJP leaders for trying to foil it throughout the day.
BJP's
Nandkumar Singh thanked the business fraternity for not supporting the
bandh, and said the shutdown call failed miserably to effect general
life.
