A dark Diwali for traders

New Delhi, Oct 7 (UNI) With the sealing drive of the MCD having led to closure of long-established business units in Delhi and with the September 29 direction of the court also hanging like the sword of Damocles on lakhs of traders falling under the purview of the September 15 Delhi Government notification, it will be a gloomy Diwali for traders in the capital this year.

''The sealing drive in Delhi in the near future and the present state of confusion and chaos on the sealing issue has put the traders of Delhi under compulsion not to celebrate Diwali this year with pomp and show. Consequently, there will not be any festival lighting in any market of Delhi,'' the Confederation of All India Traders, at the forfront of the agitation against sealing of shops in residential areas, said today.

''The sealing has killed our festive spirit and with much regret we have been compelled to take the decision of not celebrating Diwali this year. Even the family members of the traders are not keen to celebrate Diwali and our children have also decided not to buy crackers this time,'' CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said.

The Delhi traders will merely perform symbolic Diwali Pooja' and there will be no exchange of gifts as per decision taken by the Trade representatives.

While on the one hand, there will be no lighting in commercial markets of Delhi, on the other hand the traders will not exchange sweets and gifts. Also, the festival will be marked with the traders wearing black protest strips and putting black flags on their establishments.

UNI AR RL KN2004