'Protests fine, what about our losses?'

Ask Jantar Mantar traders after Section 144 was imposed here

Rameshwaru00a0 (35), popularly known as 'Baba', owns two eatery shops on Jantar Mantar Road. On most days he is a busy man, with customers thronging his shops throughout the day. But Rameshwar is an unhappy man these days. With Section 144 imposed in the area since Sunday, he has been forced to keep his shops shut. "We are forced to keep our shops closed ever since government has imposed Section 144. It is the common man who is suffering because of this. We have to wait till June 11."


No work and only play: Traders were spotted playing a game of cards
post imposition of Section 144 in Jantar Mantar area


Rameshwar in front of his eatery. PICs/Rajeev Tyagi

Jantar Mantar is the site where Anna Hazare and his supporters were supposed to protest on June 8. But, after Delhi Police imposed Section 144, the protest has been shifted to Raj Ghat. Moreover, the area around Jantar Mantar has been barricaded and around 75 Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed there.

"We still have to pay our employees even though the shops are closed. Be it a poor man or a person who hails from the middle class, we are the ones who suffer and not the politicians. We are sitting at our home because we don't have anything to do," said Keshwan Kutti who owns a very famous South Indian eatery near Jantar Mantar.

A game or two
Shopkeepers who have been forced to close down were seen playing cards on Tuesday. A juice shop owner, Dharmendra Singh (48) said: "In two days I have incurred losses worth Rs 3,000-4,000. I had to throw the fruits away because they get spoilt within two days in this heat. It is unfair." Says Singh: "In summers we usually get the highest number of customers, but now we do not have any. We are left with nothing." The area that was to be filled with calls for fight against corruption has now transformed into a place where now only a haunted silence prevails.