Traders8217; strike partial as one group pulls out

NEW DELHI, April 14: Delhi8217;s trader-tenants are a divided lot. Though all of them are protesting the Centres8217;s decision to go ahead with the Delhi Rent Amendment Bill of 1997, only half of them closed down their businesses today. And while the latter plan to continue their strike tomorrow, the other group has decided to withdraw.

Today, traders in Connaught Place, Karol Bagh and South Extension 8212; part I and II stayed home, disappointing thousands of summerwear shoppers on a government holiday. Other markets were partially open.

8220;But tomorrow,8221; says Manohar Lal Kumar, president of the Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh and a BJP leader, 8220;the shops will reopen. We met the Prime Minister and he has promised to look into the matter.8221; 8220;Nothing of this sort happened,8221; says Manohar Lal8217;s colleague M.M. Aggarwal, Mahasangh vice-president and not a BJP leader. 8220;We couldn8217;t meet him directly, but we submitted a memorandum. We demanded that the Cabinet withhold its consent to the Bill and refer it to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.8221; This morning, some of the traders accompanied a delegation of BJP workers led by BJP8217;s Delhi unit president Mange Ram Garg to the PM8217;s house. The BJP team wanted to congratulate the PM for the second successful testing of the Agni missile; the traders thought they would use the opportunity to raise their demands.