SHILLONG: Christmas is just a week away but the talk of the town is not the visit of Santa Claus but the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and Inner Liner Permit. Slogans of agitators have replaced Christmas carols, posters with protest messages are predominant over decorations and lights and night curfew has dampened merry-making.
Every year by this time, the entire city is in the grip of festive fervour. Roads remain busy with shoppers and carol singing fills the air. But this year, the situation is different with the anti-CAA movement overshadowing the festival.
Commercial centres like Police Bazar and Iewduh are witnessing low footfall. Panic-stricken shoppers are apprehensive about staying out late and as soon as the sun sets, people start leaving for their homes. Shopkeepers do the same.
It may be mentioned that the district administration has clamped curfew from 8 pm in major parts of the city in view of the prevailing law and order situation.
“The business has gone for a toss due to the situation but we hope that the festive season will grip the city in the next one week,” a shopkeeper said.
This is also the time when hotels remain full with tourists but there are hardly any tourists this year and even those who were here before the situation turned volatile have already left, the manager of a city-based hotel said.
Hoteliers whom The Shillong Times spoke to said they support the demand for scrapping the CAA but feel that protesters should go for democratic and non-violent agitations.
A tourist driver who runs his vehicle on the Guwahati-Shillong road also admitted that the number of tourists visiting the state has gone down since agitations are confined not only to Shillong but in the entire region.
The driver also said a few tourists have come to Shillong recently after trouble broke out.
Many citizens said they are hoping that the festive mood will finally set as many shops and churches are being decorated. Some also said while the movement against CAA and demand for ILP must continue, it is time when people get into the festive mood of Christmas.
