Accusing the Delhi government of neglecting their plight, State Bharatiya Janata Party president Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday met with rehri-patri shopkeepers evicted from the Punjab Stand area in the vicinity of Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar here.
Assuring them that they will provided alternative space to earn their livelihood, Mr. Tiwari accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of neglecting them throughout the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s regime.
Supreme Court orders
“According to the directions of the Supreme Court, hawkers who have been in business continuously for the last 15 to 20 years should be rehabilitated by the government before being evicted,” the North-East Delhi MP argued.
“If Mr. Kejriwal had devoted even 10 days to solve this problem out of four years of his rule, nobody would have faced any problem in carrying out such small businesses. He has not framed any law or rule during the last four years but violated many of them,” Mr. Tiwari added.
‘Crisis of livelihood’
While such shopkeepers also need to “follow laws and rules” while conducting their business, Mr. Tiwari said this “crisis of livelihood” would not have “arisen for the poor” had there been a BJP government in Delhi.
“The Chief Minister’s intentions are neither good nor does his government have any policy for protecting the rights [of such businessmen]. Mr. Kejriwal has for the sake of power forgotten the common man, in whose name he had formed the party and after that formed a government with majority,” Mr. Tiwari alleged.
