Harried shopkeepers come out in protest

Voices of protest have come out against the ongoing sealing drive with many traders in prominent south Delhi markets speaking about downing shutters for a day.  Traders have complained that with no one ready to listen to their problems, the only option right now is strike action.

“No one wants to shut business, but we don’t have any option. No one is paying heed to our issues. The committee is not even allowing traders to meet them. Even the corporation has passed on the buck to the committee,” said general secretary of Defence Colony market, Jagdish Gupta.

Traders have asked why they are being singled out when the whole of Delhi is besieged with illegal encroachments and have also claimed shop owners do not understand the rules. Shop owners say they would like the civic bodies, the government and the SC-appointed committee to come forward and clearly explain the rules. Otherwise, they say, the result will be a loss of revenue and thousands of jobs could be at risk.     

Meanwhile, parties have also sought to make political capital of the situation. The AAP-led Delhi government has threatened a protest and sought to corner the BJP-led civic bodies on the issue in the ongoing session of the Delhi Assembly.

Traders are a crucial votebank for all political parties in the Capital and protests against sealing action are not new. In 2006, the BJP joined traders and upped the pressure on the then Congress government on the sealing drive against “illegal” shops.