Traders gathered in Kashmere Gate from where they carried out 'shavyatra' (last rites procession).
With over 7 lakh traders observing a day-long 'bandh', more than 2,500 markets in the national Capital saw deserted lanes as the commercial hubs of the city remained shut in protest against the ongoing sealing drive on Tuesday.
Scores of traders gathered near old Hindu college building in Kashmere Gate from where they carried out 'shavyatra' (last rites procession) of the sealing drive to the cremation ground in the vicinity.
The bandh was called by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) after the traders in Lajpat Nagar's Old Double Storey (ODS) market were lathicharged by the police, while protesting against the sealing drive last week.
"The traders of Delhi will stand united against this unjustified punishment given by the government. We would come on roads if necessary but this sealing drive will not be allowed," said Praveen Khandelwal, president, CAIT.
The shop owners of retail and wholesale markets all over the city were accompanied by small-time businessmen who have been fulfilling their needs by running make-shift shops and stalls.
"I had set up a small makeshift shop of pan masala at Chandni Chowk market but the policemen took away everything from my shop in the name of sealing drive. Now, I am struggling to feed my family," said Ramesh, who ran a pan masala shop at Chandni Chowk for about 15 years.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) have extended their support to the protesting traders with the leaders from both the parties having come out in the open to criticise the BJP's stand over the sealing issue in the Capital.
"They can easily stop this injustice against the traders by bringing in a bill in the ongoing Parliament session, but they won't. The government has shown no interest in the small traders, all they care about is the well-being of big industrialists," said AAP leader and Chandni Chowk MLA, Alka Lamba.
The sealing drive is being conducted by the municipal corporations on directions of the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee for "misuse" of residential premises for commercial activity, unauthorised constructions and increased floor area ratio (FAR) encroaching upon the public land. The three-member panel was set up in 2006 when a mass sealing drive was conducted in the Capital.
The apex court had recently pulled up the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), municipal corporations and the Delhi government for not conducting the necessary exercise to bring in the proposed amendments in the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 (MPD) in order to allow relief to the traders. The traders' community has been at the receiving end for violating the guideline of the Master Plan.
AAP, CONG SUPPORT
Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) have extended their support to the protesting traders with the leaders from both the parties having come out in the open to criticise the BJP’s stand over the sealing issue in Capital
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