Exclusive | Guwahati Christmas Market Suffers due to Unrest over CAA

Guwahati, December 24, 2019:

As the holiday season is around the corner with Christmas and New Year inching ever-closer, the streets of Guwahati wear a semi-deserted look.

Despite the local eateries all decked up with trinkets, stars, and baubles for Christmas, the sales of the delicacies served during Christmas such as the plum cakes, chocolates, pastries have all taken a hit.

Even the sales of the decorative items like X-mas trees, stars, Santa Claus caps, and bells have declined compared to the previous years due to the prevailing situation of unrest across the country, over the Citizenship Amendment Act (or CAA).

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Today, an Inside Northeast visited the local bakeries as well as local retailers selling trinkets and baubles.

When the team approached Shaikh Brothers, the oldest bakery in Assam, one of the co-owners of the bakery lamented, “Compared to last year, the footfall as well as the sales of the food items have declined drastically. The holiday spirit among the people seems to have dwindled amid the alarming situation after the passage of the CAA.”

The Manager of the Repose Bakery in Panbazar informs the team, “Even though the bakery is all set for the celebration, with the delicacies set up on the display shelves, there are hardly any customers. In previous years, two-days prior to the celebration, the bakery would be crowded with customers. But this time, the streets are empty, as well as the shops.”

The team also visited KB Sons, one of the top decorative items dealer in Fancy Bazar, where one of the employees has stated that the protests against the controversial C(A)A have affected the sales of the products as well as the festive mood.

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