AAP govt in Gujarat will put end to 'raid raj', promises Kejriwal

Jamnagar: Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said an "advisory body" of traders will be formed to guide the government if his party came to power in Gujarat in the coming Assembly elections.

The AAP national convener also promised sops related to Value Added Tax (VAT) and said the party's government would stop the "raid raj", as he met a group of traders here.

Kejriwal arrived in BJP-ruled Gujarat, where elections are due by year-end, for a two-day visit on Saturday.

"I am not here to seek donations, I do not need donations. I am here to make traders and industrialists partners in the development of Gujarat," he said. "You will be treated as partners when AAP forms a government here. You will give the order and the government will implement that order," he added.

As part of his "guarantees" to the trader community, Kejriwal said the AAP will form an "advisory body" to guide the government if it came to power.

"There are different types of businesses, different industries, and different problems come up every day. So we will form an advisory body with representatives from every sector. You will tell the government what to do, and the government will do it. Your decision will be binding on the government," he said.

The other "guarantees" of the AAP included a commitment to do away with "atmosphere of fear" among the business community and treat them with respect, he said.

An AAP government in Gujarat will put an end to the "raid raj" or harassment of traders and businesspersons by government and tax officials, he said.

It will also offer an amnesty scheme for Value Added Tax arrears and implement a VAT refund mechanism within six months, Kejriwal said. "We will end the 'raid raj,' there will be no raids...Our revenue in Delhi grew to Rs 75,000 crore from Rs 3,000 crore in seven years. We never conducted raids, traders are paying (tax) on their own. They see that Kejriwal is improving schools, hospitals, providing water, electricity. They want to pay, all they want is not to be harassed," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal also alleged that local leaders of the ruling BJP harassed those who participated in his meeting in Rajkot, and also warned the traders against attending the interaction in Jamnagar.

"We will have to end this dirty politics. I am coming to meet you in Jamnagar, am I a terrorist? I have come from Delhi asking for a cup of tea and nothing else. I would request Paatil saheb (state BJP chief C R Paatil) and the Chief Minister (Bhupendra Patel) to come to the meeting. Let us sit down and talk. Let us discuss," he said.