Sealing drive: AAP, Congress to meet SC committee, raise voice in Parliament together

An all-party delegation will meet a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee to seek a solution to problems posed by an ongoing sealing drive, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Tuesday, while hitting out at the BJP for boycotting a meeting called on the issue by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The meeting, held earlier on Monday, was attended by Kejriwal and other AAP leaders as well as three members of the Delhi Congress, led by DPCC chief Ajay Maken.The BJP did not take part in it.

During the talks, AAP and Congress agreed to raise their voice in Parliament through their MPs against the drive being carried out since last December by municipal corporations in the city. Traders have been adversely affected by the move to shut down commercial establishments.

"I wish BJP had also participated in the interest of Delhi's traders," Kejriwal later tweeted, describing it as a very good meeting.

Maken attacked the BJP for boycotting the talks, stressing that parties needed to "collectively find a solution" to the traders' problems.

"There are some issues on which we should not do party politics," he said.

Hitting out at the BJP at a press conference at the CM's residence, Sisodia said it was unfortunate that the party's representatives did not attend the meeting called to find a solution to the sealing issue.

"Instead of attending the meeting, the BJP is doing politics. They did not want to participate in today's meeting. The discussion for traders was necessary and if needed, we will again call a meeting and appeal to the BJP to attend it," Sisodia said.

He alleged that through the sealing drive, the BJP wanted to pave the way for foreign direct investments in retail in the national capital.

Sisodia said the BJP could resolve the issue "immediately" if it wanted to."The BJP has the government at the Centre. They want to finish off traders so as to bring in FDI, " he said.

"In today's meeting, it was decided that an all-party delegation will meet the (SC-appointed) monitoring committee to find a solution to the sealing issue," Sisodia said.

The deputy chief minister said it was decided that both AAP and the Congress would raise the matter in Parliament.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Development Minister Gopal Rai, AAP leader Sanjay Singh and MLA Somnath Bharti were among the others who took part in the talks.

After the meeting, Maken said the discussion was fruitful.

Asked about suggestions made by Maken on the matter, Sisodia said the AAP government would consider them.

Maken said he had suggested that the government effectively tackle the sealing case in the Supreme Court, and added that as the government had so far not approached the monitoring committee, an all party-delegation should meet the court panel to discuss the issue.

"In today's meeting, we have given a presentation to the chief minister and deputy chief minister to make them understand how the ongoing sealing drive, which is being carried out in several areas, is illegal," Maken told reporters after the meeting.

He also said in the coming days, the situation could worsen if the drive was extended to unauthorised colonies and villages in the national capital.

Meanwhile, traders protested in various markets across the city today as part of a day-long bandh called by an industry body against the drive.

Shopkeepers from Amar Colony to Karol Bagh raised slogans and waved black flags to voice their protest under the banner of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

Municipal Corporations are carrying out the drive under the directions of the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.