The traders of Delhi under the aegis of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) have decided that the markets/shops in Delhi will remain open till midnight on March 8 as a mark of protest against the ongoing sealing drive by Municipal Corporations on the directions of Supreme Court empowered committee in national Capital.
Further, the traders will also burn effigy of ‘sealing’ in Delhi on February 28, a day before the festival of Holi in protest. Also traders of Delhi have decided to take out a Car Rally in protest in different parts of Delhi on March 4.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the trade leaders of Delhi convened by CAIT on Friday and which was attended by leaders of more than 100 prominent trade associations from all parts of Delhi.
The trade leaders at the meeting “lamented that utmost efficiency was shown by the Government in the matter of IAS officers and if same level of attention was given to sealing issue, the traders would have been relived from sealing by now”.
CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said, “by closing the shops, the traders have demonstrated their resentment many times but it will be first time in Delhi when traders will be opening their shops till midnight to lodge their protest against sealing. Also effigies of sealing will be put on flame at more than 100 places in Delhi including Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, Connaught Place, Sadar Bazar, Kamla Nagar etc.”
He further said that thousands of cars will participate in several car rallies to be organised on March 4 all over Delhi protesting against sealing.
Khandelwal further said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went to several markets about a fortnight back and while talking to the traders assured to take steps to protect them from sealing.
“It is highly regretted that even after constant demand, Kejriwal has not convened a session of the legislative Assembly to pass the Bill for protection from sealing. His lip service is irritating the traders of Delhi,” he said.
“It would be good on part of him if he convened a special session of the Assembly and while passing the Bill forward the ball in the court of Central Government to enable the traders to pressurise the Union Government,” he added.
In a communication sent to Kejriwal, the CAIT had on February 13 appealed for an ordinance to stop the sealing, currently underway and restore due process of law in such matters.
On February 2-3, the trader’s union had carried out a 48-hour ‘Delhi Trade Bandh’ over the sealing drive, also demanding the Central Government to bring in a Bill in Parliament to protect Delhi trade and traders from the sealing drive.
The sealing drive, according to CAIT, was in violation of statutory provisions of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act.