NEW DELHI: At least a dozen people were injured at Jantar Mantar here on Monday afternoon when the police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse a violent crowd of traders who were protesting against the recent Supreme Court order directing closure of all commercial establishments running illegally in residential areas of the Capital. The police also detained at least 50 protesters.

Called by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), a large number of traders from various city markets including Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, Lajpat Nagar, South Extension, Sadar Bazar, Malviya Nagar, Rohini, Janakpuri and Shahdara gathered at Jantar Mantar protesting against the order and also against the ongoing city-wide demolition drive against unauthorised constructions.

However, after their leaders had addressed the gathering, the protestors tried to break the police barricades and march towards Parliament. They also resorted to stone-throwing forcing the police to use water cannons and resort to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. At least a dozen protestors, who were injured, were rushed to nearby hospitals, while nearly 50 were detained by the police.

Earlier addressing the gathering, CAIT general secretary Praveen Khandelwal charged the Congress governments at the Centre and in Delhi with failing to safeguard the interests of the people of Delhi, particularly traders. Demanding an immediate end to the ongoing demolition and sealing exercise in the city, he said if action was initiated against shops owners, more that 5 lakh traders and another 25 lakh workers employed in their establishments would be rendered jobless, triggering a major unemployment crisis in the Capital.

Criticising the "lethargic" role of the Government in solving the matter, Mr. Khandelwal said the Government had even failed to announce any rehabilitation plan for the traders and their employees. He announced that traders' protests that were being staged across the Capital would continue till the rights and livelihoods of traders and people of Delhi were not safeguarded.

Leading trade organisations including Delhi Traders Sangharsh Morcha, Federation of South Delhi and North Delhi Traders, Federation of Rohini Traders Association, Delhi Rajya Vyapar Sanghthan and Delhi Retail Trade Forum participated in the demonstration.

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