Sealing: Maken seeks meeting with monitoring panel, says will

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken today sought an appointment with the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee to present his legal stand for halting the sealing drive against illegal commercial establishments, asserting that he may approach the apex court if needed be.
Maken also asked the AAP and the BJP to end their "fake fight" over the ongoing drive and suggested that they instead seek relief from the court for the traders hit by the move.
"If the monitoring committee does not listen to me, I will move the Supreme Court to make my submissions," he said.
Maken said the BJP-led central government, through the attorney general, should immediately approach the apex court to get relief for the traders as the Congress-led UPA government did in 2006 to save the livelihoods of the people.

Maken also demanded the AAP government to notify around 300 pending roads and inform the apex court, instead of approaching courts for permission for their notification.
Earlier today, a meeting of AAP and BJP leaders at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence to find a solution to the issue ended in hostility, without any result.

The BJP walked out of the meeting, alleging AAP leaders and workers misbehaved with BJP members. The saffron party also filed a police complaint naming four AAP legislators.
Maken alleged that the AAP and the BJP were indulging in a "physical fight" to only convince their supporters, and not to prevent the sealing drive.

Both the parties have "failed miserably" to provide relief to the traders affected by the sealing drive, he said.
"The affected traders are approaching the Supreme Court and its monitoring committee for respite from sealing, while the AAP and the BJP, who should do this, are fighting each other," he said during a visit to meet traders on Tank Road.
The Delhi Congress chief has directed party's legal cell to provide free legal service to the traders on the issue.
The three BJP-controlled civic bodies have undertaken the sealing drive initiated by the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee for nearly a month. Commercial premises have been sealed for failing to deposit conversion charges according to provisions in the Delhi Master Plan 2021.

The AAP has demanded that the central government either bring an ordinance or amend the master plan to stop sealing. The BJP has demanded that the AAP dispensation should come out with a notification on mix-land use to give relief to traders.