Ambala: Congress to hold protest over Shambhu border’s closure
Nitish Sharma
Ambala, July 1
Amid the ongoing standoff between the government and the farmer unions, the Congress has decided to hold a dharna in Ambala on Thursday over the issue of closure of the Shambhu border.
Traders’ dharna tomorrow
The Wholesale Cloth Market Association will soon meet the state Chief Minister over the issue again. Association president Vishal Batra said: “The traders have also decided to hold a three-hour dharna ‘Shambhu Kholo, Vyapar Bachao’ on Wednesday. We request the government to get the issue resolved at the earliest.”
The Shambhu border has been closed since February 10 as the farmers haven’t been able to proceed towards Delhi. As a result, local traders and shopkeepers in Ambala City and Ambala Cantonment markets have been affected adversely.
Extending support to both farmers and traders, the Congress is trying to woo both the communities as the Assembly elections are approaching and the party wants to maintain the momentum gained in the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress will stage a dharna at Kalka Chowk on Thursday in Ambala City.
Ambala Congress leader Vinod Dhiman said: “As the government hasn’t been showing any concern towards the plight of local traders and farmers, we have decided to come forward and raise the matter. The farmers want to go to Delhi to raise their issues with the Central Government and they have nothing to do with the state government. We fail to understand the reason behind stopping farmers here at the Haryana-Punjab border. The state government should let the farmers go from here, as due to the blockade of the Shambhu border, the cloth market of Ambala City and other markets are incurring heavy losses.”
Congress leader Nirmal Singh, who will lead the dharna, said: “Traders have been continuously approaching us to help reopen the border. The Congress has decided to raise the issues of farmers and traders by staging a dharna. We will take up the issue strongly.” Meanwhile Vishal Batra, president of Wholesale Cloth Market Association, said “We are in touch with the government and have decided to meet Haryana Chief Minister soon to raise the issue again. The traders have also decided to hold a dharna on Wednesday.”
