NEW DELHI, 21 September 2006 — Backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Akali Dal thousands of traders pulled down shutters and took to the streets yesterday protesting the government’s move to shut down shops illegally operating in residential areas.
At least two people were killed and more than 100 detained during violent protests. Thirty policemen were injured as they used batons and tear gas to subdue stone-throwing mobs of several hundred, the Press Trust of India news agency said.
Life in the capital city came to a standstill as traders blocked roads leading to traffic jams. Around 500 trade bodies took part in the strike called by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).
“Violent clashes took place at four places. Police had to use force to disperse traders blocking roads,” Deepak Arora, a member of CAIT said.
At several places, effigies of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit were burned.
Television channels showed footage of thousands of protesters, some of whom threw stones at police, who in turn fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. Media reported earlier that two protesters and a senior policeman were injured. Police declined to confirm any deaths or injuries during the protests, which were centered on the northeast district of Seelampur.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has upset traders with its drive to seal up and demolish illegal shops in the capital’s residential areas.
The strike started on Tuesday and the illegal operators gained support from the CAIT and shop owners from authorized markets.
“We have all joined this strike because we see this to be unfair to the cause of the people,” Neeraj Sharma, a store manager of a garment shop in Connaught Place, an upmarket shopping area in New Delhi, told Reuters. “Every shop has approximately 10-20 people working and sealing them would mean a lot of unemployment.”
The authorities started their drive in response to the illegal shops springing up all over the capital, but residents were divided over the closures.
“I’m totally against the sealing. Some have owned shops for say 50 to 100 years in Delhi. Where will they go? If the sealing has to be done, the government should look into relocating the shops first,” said R.K. Pandey, a resident.
“Most of the market associations in south, west and north Delhi had joined hands to make the strike a success,” Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general of CAIT, said. Only food and medicine shops remained open.
At least 1,600 commercial units have been sealed over the past two weeks as part of the drive that began on Sept. 1 following a Supreme Court directive against illegal and unauthorized construction.
