CANACONA
Hindavi Swaraj Sanghatan (HSS) has denied any involvement in the closure of the weekly bazaar at Chaudi on Saturday, instead blaming the applicants of the ‘Julus’ for the shutdown.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, HSS office bearers stated that their main priority is to maintain peace and order in the taluka.
HSS convener Samrat Bhagat stated, “During the submission of our memorandum to the Dy. Collector on Thursday, many people present said, ‘We do not need the weekly Saturday bazaar in Canacona.’ In that context, a statement was made that ‘We do not require the Saturday weekly bazaar.’ Our plan was to meet the CMC Chairperson and submit a memorandum on Monday or Tuesday to discuss the bazaar, but suddenly, the bazaar didn’t open on Saturday. This closure was not done by us (HSS). None of our committee members or anyone from our Sanghatan was involved. None of us, or anyone representing us, were present at the bazaar as we were all busy with personal work or family. Despite this, it was falsely claimed that we shut down the bazaar, which is completely untrue. If we wanted to close it, we would have done so officially by submitting a memorandum to the CMC Chairperson and involving all the councillors. We wouldn’t do anything illegally or by force; that’s not our way.”
Bhagat suggested that the closure might be the result of their demand to stop the ‘Julus’ in Canacona. He believes someone from the group that applied for ‘Julus’ permission informed traders from Belagavi, Hubli, Dharwad, and other places not to attend the bazaar, aiming to create a negative impression of HSS. “They want people to think that because we oppose the ‘Julus’, the weekly bazaar is also closed,” he said.
Bhagat clarified that HSS has no intention of shutting down the bazaar, as many people depend on it. However, he criticised a few out-of-town vendors for allegedly instigating local Muslims to organise the ‘Julus’. He emphasised that HSS opposes this mentality of causing unrest.
HSS President Dilkush Shet called on Devasthan committees, councillors, panchayat members, and others to attend a meeting to discuss the ‘Julus’ issue on 2nd October at 5 pm at Devgipurush Sabhagraha.
