Delhi CM Kejriwal to take Mayapuri sealing issue to SC, says AAP
Violent clashes between traders and authorities during the sealing drive in Mayapuri on April 13 had left 14 injured.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday assured a group of 150 traders from Mayapuri that his government will take the ongoing sealing in the west Delhi industrial area to the Supreme Court, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.
Also on Tuesday, Union minister for urban development Hardeep Singh Puri directed the Delhi chief secretary to “find a solution to the matter and draft both “short and long term plans” by May 3, the day when the matter is to be heard by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said.
Trader groups separately met Kejriwal, Puri, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, BJP West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma to raise their concerns.
Violent clashes between traders and authorities during the sealing drive on Saturday had left 14 injured. The incident soon spiralled into a political blame game with the BJP accusing AAP-led Delhi government of executing the drive, and the AAP accusing the BJP of “conspiring against traders”.
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On Sunday, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had said the government has initiated an inquiry against its officials who took part in the sealing for allegedly bypassing the environment minister. On Monday, the Delhi high court said no coercive action can be taken against traders to recover environment damage fees. It was in connection with this fee that notices were issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in compliance with a series of NGT orders. The high court, however, was silent on sealing.
“The continuation of sealing was the main concern of traders who met Kejriwal. He assured them that his office is seeking legal opinion on the matter and the government will take the matter to the Supreme Court,” an AAP leader said.
The traders were escorted by Brijesh Goyal, the AAP’s Lok Sabha candidate from New Delhi. “We assured the traders that we will fight for them. I am a trader myself and I will not let anything affect their buisness,” Goyal said.
In a statement, Manoj Tiwari said he told traders how Kejriwal’s government wants to mislead them. “The AAP leaders are trying to provoke traders of Delhi against the BJP, but the BJP has always stood with traders.”