Himmatnagar: A shutdown is observed in Himmatnagar and 11 neighbouring villages of Sabarkantha district today as public anger grows against the Himatnagar Urban Development Authority (HUDA). The bandh, announced by the HUDA Protest Coordination Committee, receives widespread support across the city, as markets, vegetable markets, APMC market yards and several institutions remain closed since morning.

HUDA was formed by including 11 surrounding villages into the development authority. Since the presentation of its draft plan, villagers have been protesting for the last 95 to 98 days, demanding the cancellation of HUDA. With the bandh call issued for December 12, the agitation gained unprecedented momentum, putting heightened pressure on the government.

Major commercial areas, including Sahkarari Jin, Mahavir Nagar, Khed Tasiya Road, Tower Chowk, Nava Bazar, Juna Bazar, Gandhi Road, Hajipura Nyay Mandir, Mehtapura, RTO and Motipura, remained shut throughout the day. The APMC vegetable market at Tower Chowk also stayed closed, along with the city’s market yard and cotton market yard, as traders extended support to protesting farmers.

Traders from the old city market, including jewellers, grocery store owners, cloth merchants, footwear shops and stationery sellers, voluntarily joined the bandh. Educational institutions also backed the protest, with private schools remaining closed; although teachers were present, parents chose not to send their children, bringing academic activities to a halt.

Local political dynamics have also intensified. Protest leaders have warned that if the state government fails to reconsider the HUDA issue, primary members, workers and office bearers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will resign en masse. They further threatened to challenge the BJP in upcoming local body elections and to stage protests at every party event. DeshGujarat