Assembly passes resolution against sealing amid rare unity
BUDGET SESSION Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demands moratorium to provide relief to traders
NEW DELHI: The ongoing sealing drive against commercial establishments in the city was the highlight of the first day of the Delhi assembly’s budget session which began on Friday.
In a rare show of consensus between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the House passed a resolution demanding an “immediate stop” to the sealing drive, while chief minister Arvind Kejriwal sought a moratorium to provide relief to traders. Speaking at the session, Kejriwal described the sealing drive, which began in December last year, as a “war-like situation”.
Terming it a “dangerous attack” on traders, the chief minister, on the suggestion of BJP’S Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, said that an all party-delegation would meet the Supreme Court-appointed committee urging it to put an end to the drive.
Kejriwal reiterated that if a solution is not found till March 31, he would go on a hunger strike. In a rare show of consensus, BJP leader OP Sharma then assured the CM that the sealing drive would be halted by the end of this month.
“The immediate solution is that Centre brings a moratorium so that status quo is maintained for two years,” Kejriwal said.
The CM added that the government would go to court by Monday or Tuesday for notifying 351 roads under mixed or commercial land-use category.
The resolution, moved by AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, stated that the “unjustified” sealing is a direct consequence of the “negligence and inefficiency” of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and municipal corporations.
“The ongoing sealing drive in various markets has wreaked havoc among the traders and has left thousands of workers unemployed... This House strongly condemns the use of force and brutalities committed on innocent traders; and demands that the ongoing sealing in various markets of Delhi be immediately stopped and de-seal the already sealed shops,” the resolution, passed with voice vote, stated.
Vijender Gupta and BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa questioned the AAP government for not introducing a bill to give relief to the traders. In reply, Kejriwal said passing a bill would not yield any result as the DDA and municipal corporations do not come under the city administration. The CM told Vijender Gupta that he was “deeply saddened” by the BJP’S refusal to attend Tuesday’s all-party meeting to discuss the issue.
The BJP leader replied that he decided to not attend the meeting as it was held at Kejriwal’s residence. Gupta said this in reference to the alleged assault on chief secretary Anshu Prakash by some AAP MLAS last month which had also happened at the CM’S residence.
In a lighter note, Kejriwal then invited Gupta for a meeting at “any other place” to discuss the sealing issue.