Saswat Singhdeo

Sambalpur: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has called for a 9-hour countrywide trade bandh today as a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir.

The bandh, which will remain effective till 4pm today, is being organised to show solidarity of traders with the nation and families of the martyrs. Through the bandh, the CAIT has further demanded the Government of India to take strong action against Pakistan.

“It is not an ordinary matter but a matter of our country’s prestige. Pakistan and the World should know that India stands united as ONE,” CAIT had stated.

Different traders' associations of Odisha have extended their support to the strike. While shops and markets will remain closed, petrol pumps and medicine shops will stay open. Traders associations, however, said that the bandh will not affect normal life.

The Cuttack Chamber of Commerce informed that a compensation amount will be given to families of both the martyred Odia jawans- Manoj Kumar Behera and Prasanna Kumar Sahu.

"Markets will remain closed from 7 am to 4 pm as a mark of tribute to the martyred jawans. We had held a meeting in this regard. It will not affect the vehicular traffic," said Arun Patwari, President of Chamber of Commerce, Sambalpur.

The two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bravehearts from Odisha, killed in the Pulwama terror attack, were on Saturday consigned to flames with full State honours.

 

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