NEW DELHI: Several Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of East Delhi have expressed alarm at the manner in which the threats of about 45,000 traders -- facing resumption of sealing from November 1 on Supreme Court orders -- has worked on the Central and Delhi Government and led to a situation where the Governments are prepared to condone gross illegalities committed by some cash-rich traders by taking on the court itself.

Protesting against "the Government bending backwards to please the agitating traders" members of the RWA have shot off a strongly worded letter to the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee arguing that the "ability to strike and come out on the streets should not determine the facts of the case."

Incidentally, the protests by the traders, supported by some politicians with vested interests, have been so vociferous that even Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who were earlier in favour of "law taking its own course" have been compelled to give in to the `blackmailing'.

With the traders about to start their 72-hour Delhi bandh from October 30, about 1.50 crore residents of the Capital would be held for ransom by a few thousand. While the Delhi Government has announced its decision to keep all Government schools open despite the bandh call, people are apprehensive about violence.

During the Delhi bandh on September 20 there had been road blockades all over the Capital which had disrupted normal life and prevented citizens from attending to their work.

With the Delhi police also being given clear instruction not to confront traders, road blockades and disruption of normal services are expected for three days starting Monday. Also, as the protests on September 20 had turned violent -- leading to the death of four persons -- the band call has made residents very anxious and many are even contemplating not sending their children to school on Monday to see how the protest shapes up.

The letter also criticised the Delhi Chief Minister for attempting to bring a resolution that, according to the members of the RWA, attempts to defeat the orders of the Supreme Court.

"It is appalling to see the manner in which the Government of Delhi is on its knees in front of the traders threats. It is a telling commentary on the administrative acumen of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the security apparatus of the state that they are trembling at the thought of a strike by a few thousand shopkeepers," said president, RWA, Pocket I, Dilshad Garden D.C. Garg.

Mr Garg also claimed that the group would seek a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue. "Our desire for a meeting with the Congress president is on the very basis that the traders too had met her. We are a larger community of residents than them and deserve to have our side of the story told," he added.

Residents here claimed that they have been progressively losing faith in Government due to the manner in which all arms of the Government have been coming together in support for the traders.

"Let us not forget that while we have supported the trader's rights to have alternate options, the recent moves are indicative of an attempt to thwart the directions of the Supreme Court and we oppose that," said member of Ram Vihar RWA V.N. Bali.

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