Bareilly:
After two weeks of curfew following riots in Bareilly, the curfew will be lifted for 4 hours today from 10 am to 2 in the afternoon.
This comes as a big relief to people who have been on the edge with little supply of essential commodities. A decision on reopening schools will be taken today.
Vehicles mainly 2 wheelers and 4 wheelers will not be allowed.
Sunday brought some hope to the people of Bareilly, shut down since 14 days due to curfew. More than 100 people, mainly artists and intellectuals chosen by the administration, walked on the streets.
The news of relaxation in the curfew is a big relief for Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), just a day before their maha rally in Lucknow. (
Read: Grand preparation for Mayawati's Lucknow rally) Picked up by the government, people marched for peace, desperately wanting an end to the curfew.
"I want to go to school," said a little girl.
However, security is tight, with most parts of the town still under curfew. A three-member BJP team headed by local MP Maneka Gandhi wasn't allowed to come in.
"When I was coming, I was stopped in Ghaziabad with no orders, then they later told me that the orders were I shouldn't enter Uttar Pradesh at all. The state is all about building statues and organising rallies," Gandhi said.
At a time when the BSP is gearing up to ensure Mayawati's rally is a success, Bareilly hopes to get back to normal.