The Asian Age

Delhi Cong to protest against ‘ illegal sealing’

- AGE CORRESPOND­ENT

Accusing the BJP and the AAP for giving a “silent” nod to the ongoing sealing drive of illegal industries and shops in the national capital, senior Congress leader in Delhi, Mukesh Sharma on Thursday said that his party will hold a massive demonstrat­ion against the drive outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Friday. He said a massive agitation against the drive will be launched from September 5 from East Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar.

Mr Sharma, who has been appointed as a chief coordinato­r for the sealing drive, said that the Congress will be fighting a decisive battle to stop the drive in the city. He accused the AAP government in Delhi and BJP government at the Centre for joining hands under the table and giving a silent nod to the massive sealing drive.

Mr Sharma said that the UPA government had issued a notificati­on in 22 areas to regularise 70 per cent of household- industrial units to put to an end to the sealing drive. “But it was shocking that the AAP government has not issued any such notificati­on to put an end to this drive.”

Mr Sharma said, at present the household industrial units can have only five employees and they have permission to consume just 5 MW of electricit­y. “It was high time for the government to increase both the number

of employees to 11 and that of electricit­y consumptio­n to 11 KW to provide relief from this drive to lakhs of people in the city.”

The Congress leader alleged that a city minister was trying to work out under the table deal with the industrial units, which had been recommende­d for regularisa­tion. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making fervent appeal to people to earn their livelihood by selling “pakoras” “For selling pakoras, again we need a small shop.”

Mr Sharma accused the AAP government for not convening even a single special Assembly session on the pressing issue.

 ?? — BUNNY SMITH ?? People hold placards and participat­e in a protest opposing the arrests this week of five prominent rights activists in New Delhi on Thursday.
— BUNNY SMITH People hold placards and participat­e in a protest opposing the arrests this week of five prominent rights activists in New Delhi on Thursday.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India