Cong blames BJP govt for shutting down of Atlas operations

Ludhiana: Congress leaders have criticised the Centre and the Bjaratiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled Uttar Pradesh government for the temporary shut down of one of India's leading bicycle company Atlas Cycles (Haryana), Sahibabad unit.
Congress leader and Punjab Large Industrial Development Board chairman Pawan Dewan has now blamed the BJP for the crisis being faced by the bicycle company and accused centre government and Uttar Pradesh government of their ‘wrong policies’ and also claimed that bicycle unit was closed because of this.
Speaking on the issue, Dewan said, “It is a big shocker that Atlas Cycle factory in Ghaziabad closed down on World Cycle Day and thousands of workers have been rendered unemployed. Amid the slogan of ‘Make in India’, it is a major failure of the central government. On the one hand, the Modi government is talking about making the country self-reliant. At the same time, thousands of labourers have become unemployed due to the closure of Atlas unit, one of country's largest bicycle manufacturer, in Ghaziabad. Condition of industries has deteriorated during the tenure of the Modi government, everyone reminisces the days of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when employment opportunities were being provided.”
Dewan also said the government should help the company to evolve and enrol the labourers in schemes like MNREGA, so that an era of bicycle manufacturing can be saved from destruction. “Worth noticing is that there is BJP government in the state in addition to the one at the Centre. In a country like Netherlands, to promote the bicycle, even the big leaders are travelling by bicycle. But here, the government did nothing about the bicycle industry, the mode of transport of common man.”
Meanwhile, city-based bicycle parts manufacturers are still nervous after the news of the bicycle company shutting down it’s operations temporarily surfaced. However, Ludhiana manufacturers have been assured by United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers (UCPMA) that the company will pay off the pending payments after disposing off some prime property.