Maharashtra Pan Vyapari Mahasangh has called for a statewide bandh and a massive protest march at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, alleging the misuse of legal provisions, including Section 328 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), against small traders. While the protest is set to be organised on Tuesday, pan shops across Maharashtra are expected to remain shut on July 14. 

The organisation, which claims to represent over seven lakh pan vendors across the state, has appealed to shop owners from every district to keep their establishments closed and participate in what it described as a peaceful democratic movement aimed at protecting the livelihoods of lakhs of families dependent on the trade.