Delhi govt to move SC seeking temporary ban on sealing drive

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the Delhi government would be moving the Supreme Court this week seeking a temporary ban on the sealing drive.

The decision comes after a meeting between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which ended in a scuffle with both the parties blaming each other for the issue.

Speaking to media here, Kejriwal said, "This is the third big disaster within one year. The other two were GST and demonetisation which had crushed down the business sector. The Delhi government will go to the Supreme Court seeking a temporary ban on the sealing drive".

He added that the businessmen are not satisfied with what is happening around and moreover, small traders are upset.

"I had sent a letter to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal mentioning the reasons and solutions in the issue. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has collected Rs 3,000 crore conversion charge. The governor could have completely removed that charge but it did not happen," the Delhi Chief Minister stated.

Kejriwal further said that he will visit markets hit by the sealing drive later in the day to meet the affected traders.

Earlier in the day, the BJP alleged that Kejriwal insulted their party members when they went to meet him over a controversial sealing drive in the national capital.

Speaking to media here, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari said, "Today we asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a meeting but he created a drama out of it. How can we talk to him if he only wants to politicize the matter? We did not come to create a ruckus. He is not serious about this issue. They insulted us inside".

He added that three BJP MPs, three legislators and two Mayors had gone to meet Kejriwal at his residence.

"Kejriwal called around 150 people along with media in his house. His focus was not on solving the problems. Everything was on camera. He has insulted us," Tiwari stated.

The BJP reportedly objected to the presence of the media, but Kejriwal argued that 'all discussions should happen in the open'.

Earlier in the month, the members of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's trade wing took part in a 'katora' (cup) march at the Karol Bagh market against the MCD's move.

Traders, industrialists and transporters, who have suffered huge losses because of sealing and demonetisation, also participated in the protest march.

The drive to seal commercial establishments flouting provisions of the 2021 Master Plan began on January 7 in Khan Market, according to the orders of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

According to the master plan, traders using properties for mixed purposes, have to pay a one-time conversion charge at the rate notified by the Delhi Government.