NEW DELHI: Markets remained open in Delhi despite the Confederation of All India Traders’ (CAIT) call for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Friday. Brijesh Goyal, president of Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), said most of the markets in Delhi remained open as the association didn’t support the ‘bandh’.
“Around 98 per cent markets, hotels, restaurants and industrial areas were open except in Chawri Bazaar and Karol Bagh. However, we have extended support to the demands of the trade unions,” Goyal said.
Although various market bodies said they supported the cause for which the ‘bandh’ was called, they could not shut down their shops or outlets due to multiple reasons.
The Confederation of All India Traders had announced that all markets across the country would remain closed on February 26. “We support the cause but shutting shop is not the way ahead. Closure of shop will affect both sides the government and us hence, many shop owners in our market were not ready for this.
Talks between the government and traders should definitely continue and I am hopeful that a solution would be found to the problems faced by the traders,” said Sanjeev Mehra, president of Khan Market Traders association.
Holding placards and raising slogans against certain norms of the GST, members of the CTI held a protest in the city. The CTI said it would be writing to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighting the plight of traders.