CAIT joins Janata Curfew, 7 crore traders to close businesses on Sunday

India's largest retailers body - Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), has announced to join the Janata Curfew on Sunday. CAIT represents over 40,000 business organizations in India.

In response to the clarion call of Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi to observe Janta Curfew on Sunday 22 March, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) while extending full support to the call, declared today that more than 7 crore traders across Country will keep their business establishments closed on 22nd March and will participate in Janta Curfew. Nearly 40 crore employees of the traders will also confine themselves to their homes.

Over 40 thousand business organizations all over the country have been roped in by the CAIT to participate in Janta Curfew. While Traders organisations from states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh will observe Janta Curfew, the traders from far-flung areas like North East, Jammu Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Pondicherry will also be enthusiastically participating by closing their shutters.

Mr. B.C.Bhartia National President and Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary-General of the CAIT informed that this unique initiative of the Prime Minister is a national exercise not to convert the threat of coronavirus to community transmission, which is very important. Beside traders, the CAIT has also talked to premier organisations of other retail sectors like transport, small scale industries, hawkers, Self-employed Groups, Women Entrepreneurs etc. to participate in Janta Curfew by closing down their business establishments. Khandelwal told that it will be for the first time in the Country that closure of markets has been decided just on WhatsApp message. Soon after the announcement made by the Prime Minister, the CAIT sent a WhatsApp message to about 300 prominent trade leaders across the Country eliciting their opinion who in turn asked their respective members about joining the Janta Curfew and till late night the trade leaders conveyed their participation and today morning the CAIT declared the closure of business establishments all over the Country on 22nd March. This step of the traders will help the Government in combating community transmission of Coronavirus in an effective manner.

Khandelwal said that the call of the Prime Minister, more than 15 lakh small and big traders from Delhi will close their business and join the public curfew, while their 30 lakh employees will stay in their homes. Generally, wholesale markets in Delhi are closed on Sundays but all retail markets of Delhi open on Sundays but 22 March, all retail markets will also be completely closed! Prominent among them are Karol Bagh, Kamla Nagar, Model Town, Azadpur, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Rohini, Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Rajouri Garden, Uttam Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri, Patel Nagar, Kalkaji, Green Park, Khan Market, Tughla Habad, Vikas Marg, Preet Vihar, Laxmi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Shahdara, Loni Road, Narela, Bawana, Azadpur, etc. The market is open on Sunday that also fully closed!