The Hindu : New Delhi News : Mechanics to intensify stir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 16, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Mechanics to intensify stir

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 15. The agitation by motor vehicle mechanics and workshop owners against the sealing of shops in the Capital will be intensified on Friday with families of the mechanics taking to the streets. The protestors have also decided to force the shopkeepers, who try to break the strike, to keep them closed. The mechanics had gone on strike on July 10 after the order of sealing was given by the High Court.

Addressing a meeting of representatives of mechanics and repair shop owners, the president of Delhi Pradesh Panthers Mechanic Front, Sanjoy Sachdev, said the womenfolk, children and the elderly members of the affected mechanics will take to streets and ensure that all the 1,700 small and big automobile repairs and spare part markets remain closed for an indefinite period. "Those who will try to break the strike will be dealt with severely," he declared. He claimed that some owners, who opened the shops in Dilshad Garden today, were successfully forced to backtrack.

Accusing the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, of misleading the mechanics and the workshop owners, Mr. Sachdev alleged that despite Ms. Dikshit's assurance on Wednesday afternoon that the sealing would be stopped, MCD officials continued to harass the mechanics. "When they were forced to retreat from Ghanta Ghar, they went to Roshanara Road and forcibly sealed a shop which had a valid licence," informed Mr. Sachdev. Informing that the sealing continued even till today afternoon.

Another speaker at the gathering alleged that it was a glaring example of communication gap between the Government and the MCD. He added that the stock reply of the officials was that they had not received the orders yet.

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