Shivamogga’s traders, hoteliers worried over repeated imposing of prohibitory orders

Two communal incidents back to back have left people of the the city in the Malnad region worried

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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.

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.