Reuters AlertNet Lite - Traders' protest shuts Delhi markets, schools

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Traders' protest shuts Delhi markets, schools

07 Nov 2006 05:23:36 GMT
Source: Reuters

NEW DELHI, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Police spread out across the Indian capital on Tuesday over fears of violence as a day-long strike called by traders to protest against a drive to close illegal shops shut markets and schools.

The shutdown came a day after the country's highest court rejected a government petition to allow about 40,000 shops operating illegally in residential areas of New Delhi to remain open until the end of the year.

The government said it would resume the drive to close shops although it was not clear if the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) would take immediate action.

"We have deployed all the police force available to us across the city today," Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said. "Maintaining law and order is the priority for us. We are on high alert."

A three-day strike last week by protesting traders shut markets and businesses across the city of 14 million people and sparked violent protests in some areas as demonstrators burned and stoned city buses and blocked traffic.

At least three people were killed during similar protests in September.

On Tuesday, markets and other businesses across the city were closed and schools were ordered shut for two days.

Traffic on the crowded roads was, however, largely normal and public transport had extra security, witnesses said. The Delhi metro service was also operating under tight security, a spokesman said.

The civic clean-up began earlier this year after the Supreme Court said shops on at least 2,000 city roads passing through residential areas were illegal and should be closed.

About 40,000 traders were told to vacate their premises by the end of October or face having them closed.

"We will ensure that all markets are closed today. Traders will hold peaceful demonstrations," said Praveen Khandelwal of the Confederation of All India Traders, which has been leading the protests.

"The strike, as of now, is just for today. We will wait and watch the government's reaction for the protection of the people and then decide our next action plan," he told Reuters.

The traders have urged the government to make an emergency law that would overrule the court order and allow the shops to remain. But the government is undecided about such a move.

"We will not allow the MCD to seal our shops. We will ask them to arrest us first," Khandelwal said.

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Last updated:Tue Nov 7 05:25:59 2006