Delhi traders seek President's intervention into issue

New Delhi, Mar 18: Expressing shock at the 'apathy'of the centre and the State Government on impending closure of lakhs of business units in Delhi as per the apex court order for sealing of commercial units in residential areas, the traders in Delhi have urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to intervene in the matter.

In a communication sent to President Kalam, the Confederation of All India Traders, which is spearheading the traders' protest against sealing of shops in residential areas of Delhi, has prayed for his intervention.

CAIT has sought an appointment with Dr Kalam to apprise him with factual position and material facts of the issue which, it said, the MCD has deliberately not placed before the Supreme Court.

''Even a person convicted for hanging has a right to pray to the President for mercy, whereas in trader's case, the Government has deprived us of this right, as no one from the Government has called us to know as to why we are on an agitation and what material facts we are talking about,''Mr Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders(CAIT) said in the communication to the President.

The traders have been demanding the Delhi Government to take immediate steps to save 5 lakh traders from being divested of their business which they say would also render nearly 25 lakh employees in these units unemployed.

The Apex court has fixed a March 26 deadline for sealing of shops, i e just eight days from today.

Intensifying their agitation against sealing of shops in residential areas, the families of traders, comprising of ladies, children and kids, staged a demonstration in Connaught Place today demanding justice for their families.

Yesterday, the traders took out slow run motor car protest rally' in various parts of the city. Later in the day, they sat on a massive dharna' 'in the busiest shopping market Karol Bagh.

UNI