Kejriwal says Modi's nationalism is fake, appeals traders not to fall in his trap

NEW DELHI: A week before the Lok Sabha election in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday took the poll battle to unite the trader community of Delhi. "You have always voted for the BJP but this time I will urge traders to be with us and I promise that I will fight for your causes in every possible way. Modi's nationalism is fake and do not fall in this trap again" said CM Kejriwal.

A large number of Delhi voters belong to the trader community and this has always been a strong voter base of the BJP. However, from the ground reports due to the effect of sealing drive, the community faced troubles with their business.

The BJP, which used to be traders' party, has "broken the backbone" of the community, he alleged, adding thousands of notices are being sent to traders and all this is being done with the intention of "extorting" money from them. "The Modi government has unleashed 'tax terrorism' on traders," CM Kejriwal said.

"The policies of the Modi government have ruined traders. In a single stroke, demonetisation brought endless miseries to traders. When the traders' community had barely recovered from this rude shock, the Modi government hastily brought in the GST, which nobody could understand since it was implemented without any proper planning," he alleged. After note ban, the next jolt came in the form of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which led to the closure of many shops and factories, causing loss of numerous jobs and heaped miseries on traders, the AAP leader claimed, adding under the Modi government, the traders' community is feeling "orphaned".

"I want to appeal to the traders of Delhi that so far you were with Modi, what did you get? Now build a relationship with Kejriwal, he will honour the relationship with you till his last breath," he said.

Referring to the violence in Mayapuri on April 13, Kejriwal claimed that the AAP intervened and stopped sealing drive. "Give all the seven Lok Sabha seats (of Delhi) to us, I will ensure that there is no sealing in the national capital. You (traders) strengthen our hands, we will ensure justice," he said.

Around 14 officials were injured after clashes broke out between the security personnel and scrap dealers during the sealing drive in Mayapuri on April 13.