NEW DELHI: The issue of sealing in the national capital dominated traders’ convention organised by BJP on Monday at Talkatora Stadium.
Referring to the Centre’s decision to allow ownership rights for properties in unauthorised colonies, traders demanded that soon an amnesty scheme should be introduced for traders to grant protection for commercial establishments from sealing.
Addressing the gathering, union commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that he had taken the cognisance of issues being faced by the traders in Delhi and the Centre is committed to resolve them.
“The AAP made several promises to the trader community but did not fulfil them. The traders and the city can’t be benefitted with the Delhi government and its politics. The city needs a government committed for development, which also encourages the trade. Today, traders are ready to dislodge Kejriwal government,” he said.
Union minister of housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and other BJP leaders present at the function also assured the traders of finding solutions to protect them from the sealing drive.
The turn out at Monday’s event was lower than the attendance at previous traders meeting organised by the party before Lok Sabha polls in April at the same venue, which was attended by PM.
People even started leaving before Goyal arrived, who was about two-and-a-half hours late.
“His flight couldn’t take off from Mumbai due to poor weather conditions,” said a BJP leader.
Taking a swipe at low attendance, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said traders didn’t attend the meeting, fearing that the BJP-led Municipal corporation might seal their shops and factories.
Addressing the meet, Puri said that since Independence BJP has been with the traders and would stand by them in future too.