BJP leaders face trader anger at Jammu fire site
Businessmen at the Warehouse Complex confronted Bharatiya Janata Party legislators over their perceived failure to protect local interests.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the J&K Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma, were confronted by traders at the Warehouse Complex wholesale market in Jammu on Monday. According to The Indian Express, the businessmen questioned the leaders for failing to safeguard the interests of the people following fires that occurred during Diwali.
Deepak Gupta, president of the Warehouse Traders Federation, asked Sharma why the leaders did not hold a sit-in for those whose livelihoods were lost. Gupta also questioned what the LoP could do for the current victims after failing to get justice for shopkeepers whose 29 shops were gutted in a fire at Shiv market on October 25.
The fire incidents across the Jammu division during Diwali celebrations resulted in damage to commercial establishments and residential houses valued at nearly Rs 100 crore at more than 60 places. The Warehouse Complex, a wholesale market dealing in foodgrains and essential commodities, was significantly affected after a fire broke out around 9.15 pm.
Earlier on Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the property damage and directed officials to provide immediate help to those affected. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh also expressed shock and appealed to authorities to address the situation on priority.
In response to the confrontation, LoP Sharma announced that all 29 BJP MLAs will contribute from their Constituency Development Funds to aid the impacted shopkeepers. He also said the party would push the administration to relax rules to allow direct financial assistance to the traders.
A six-member inspection committee has been formed under MLA Sham Lal Sharma to evaluate the damage. Other BJP leaders present included Yudhvir Sethi, Vikram Randhawa, Arvind Gupta, and former J&K president Ravinder Raina.