Daily wage labourers of city's biggest kite market pray for normalcy in Lal Kuan area

As business remained shut for over two days in the busy Chawri Bazaar's Lal Kuan area due to communal tension, among the worst hit are the daily wagers of Delhi's biggest kite market.

Lallan Kumar (50), a labourer, complained he has not found any work for past two days despite the start of the kite-flying season.

"August is nearing and this is also time when kites are bought," Lallan said, referring to the increase in demand of kites in the run-up to the Independence Day.

"This is the time when people come here for shopping and selling their materials. People from other states also come here and take shops on rent to sell the kites," he added.

He said he used to earn Rs 500-600 per day during this time of the year, but there has been no work for past two days.

Lallan's wife and five children live in Lucknow, his native place.

The Lal Kuan area witnessed communal tensions after a temple was vandalised on Sunday. Since then, shops in Lal Kuan and parts of Chawri Bazaar were shut affecting businesses.

The labourers in the area are majority from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, he said.

Shamsher (45), a native of Bihar, said, "It has become very difficult for us. We are not getting money and just spending our savings on food and other things".

"We are working here from past two decades. We are just hoping the situation to be brought back under control otherwise we will have to search work other place," Shamsher added.

Rajesh Kumar, another daily wage labourer from Lucknow is hoping that situation is normalised.

"I am the only sole breadwinner in the family and if I would not get work here then how can I send money to my family members in Lucknow. We just want the situation to be brought back under control so that everyone can work and live here peacefully, Rajesh, who has a wife and two children, said.