Jalandhar traders bang utensils in protest against Punjab govt

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, January 20

“Jado vyapari sadak te aa jaye, te samajh lo kharab time aa gaya hai” (when industrialists come on streets, it means depressing times have come), said enraged industrialists who banged utensils while sitting on the road in protest against the state government here today.

Condition worsened

We are being harassed. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had promised to end ‘inspector raj’ if his party was voted to power. The party is now ruling the state. Instead of ending the ‘inspector raj’, the government has worsened the condition of traders and industrialists. Ravinder Dhir, convener, Khel Udyog Sangh

The industrialists held the protest, “Thali Bajao, Punjab Sarkar Jagaao”, at the Basti Nau area where the sports industry is situated.

While talking to the media, the protesting industrialists, under the banner of “Khel Udyog Sangh”, said they were afraid of doing business. “Koi baahar aa janda hai, te saanu darr lagda hai. In halat vich asi business kidda kraange. (There is an environment of fear. We cannot do our businesses like this)”.

Notably, they have been protesting against the GST raids allegedly been done for the past few months.

“We are being harassed. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had promised to end ‘inspector raj’ if his party was voted to power. The party is now ruling the state. Instead of ending the ‘inspector raj’, the government has worsened the condition of traders and industrialists,” said Ravinder Dhir, convener of the sangh.

He said the industrialists had no other option but to sit on dharna. “We are sitting on roads in such cold weather. We give employment to people, but our condition is worsening,” industrialists said.

The industrialists have repeatedly flagged the non-implementation of the one-time settlement (OTS) policy and raids by the GST Department. The group has expressed opposition to the anti-industrial policies introduced by the AAP government.