Nagpur: This probably may be one of the weirdest protests ever in Nagpur, where a business is forcibly shut down just because it resembles the jargon used for the nation’s mighty and powerful Prime Minister. Even the bureaucracy appeared to have bent before the whimsical ways of political power. The case in question is licence suspension of Namo Bar and Restaurant which has stirred the political backwaters in Nagpur.
District collector has suspended the Namo Bar licence for 180 days. And the protestors which include BJP MLA Samir Meghe, Pragati Patil and Kunda Raut are firm. The leaders said that they would protest again if the bar would be allowed to open after six months.
While the handful of protesting leaders have their one headed views over the issue, a large section of citizens feel it is clear encroachment of one’s liberty to pick up the name. “Tomorrow if some will name “Sonia Bar” then Congress leaders will protest, Will they?”, quipped a citizen adding, “It’s just ridiculous to come out with such a dominating protest,”
Says another citizen, “How come they cancel the bar licence just on the basis that it carries certain name. Is nomenclature has something to do with legality? Even the Collector has taken unconstitutional and invalid course in the entire episode. He should work free from politics.”
Notification regarding this is issued on Tuesday. But, the women in the area have warned that, they will protest even harder if the bar is opened again after six months. The Namo Bar was started in the area a year ago in an unauthorised manner, as the local gram panchayat has refused to give them the NOC. The bar was not closed down even after the protest by the women in the area.
Finally, groups of women came together and formed a Women Group Action Committee and started a movement by raising protest and fasting from October 2. BJP MLA Samir Meghe, NMC corporator Pragati Patil, and Youth Congress leader Kunda Raut joined the protester with resolution to fight till the bar get is closed. The protest turned violent on Monday as the protesters started stone pelting on the bar. Youths in the area burnt tyres on roads. People broke the CCTV”s and boards in the bar. The whole incidence created the tension in the area.
The citizens even pointed out the active involvement of women. “We can clearly see the protest being painted in different color. The protest by women’s group is being done to ward off attention from the prime reason. The reason here is not ‘Bar’ but the name it carries,” said an elderly man who has been closely watching the entire episode.
