Traders moving away from BJP, says AAP

New Delhi:

New Delhi:

HT Image

Deputy chief minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Monday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to roll back the sealing drive in Delhi, claiming it had “devastated” traders.

Sisodia’s demand came after the BJP, on Monday, organised a traders’ convention at Talkatora Stadium. Tweeting a video that showed empty chairs at the event, the deputy CM said even the city’s businessmen had moved away from the BJP.

“Traders did not attend the convention because they are scared that the BJP-led MCDs may seal their enterprises,” he said in another tweet.

Later in a press statement, Sisodia said, “We have worked for the betterment of businessmen and that’s why brought down the tax. We had stopped the raid raj by the authorities.”

Over 6,000 properties in Delhi were sealed between December 2017 and January 2019. According to reports, the total number of properties sealed in areas falling under the three corporations till January 31, 2019, is 2,716 (NDMC), 2,112 (SDMC) and 1,479 (EDMC), AAP said.

In his first town hall meeting, chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had said, “I believe if we can give space to traders to do business freely then every businessman will be honest. They are forced to become dishonest due to the pressure from the authorities. In Delhi, businessmen also faced the pressure of sealing drive.”