Click to play videoNew Delhi: Delhi's civic authorities said they would not carry out sealing of illegal commercial units in residential areas on Thursday in view of the "sensitivity" of the issue even as many people were arrested for Wednesday's violence in which four people were killed.
"Looking at the sensitivity of the issue we are not carrying out the sealing drive today. Moreover, Delhi Police have also advised us about the same," Parimal Rai, deputy commissioner (engineering), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said.
"Delhi Police said they cannot provide us with any forces today, and till we get adequate security the sealing of properties cannot continue," Rai added.
The traders continue to be enraged by the court's apathy and will hold demonstrations across the capital on Friday. A GoM is to be set up to look into the sealing drive in New Delhi. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil is to head the GoM.
Investigations into the Seelampur violence has been handed over to Delhi Police crime branch. Also, a maha panchayat will be held at Siri Fort on September 24.
Meanwhile, Border Security Force staged a flag march in Seelampur anticipating more violence.
According to MCD sources, the sealing squads fear a threat to their lives and have refused to step out. The MCD's sealing drive has brought politicians and judiciary face to face once again.
After a day of violent protests against the drive, Congress has now gone into damage control mode.
Four persons were killed and many injured in the violence. Delhi government has announced a compensation for the families of the deceased - a sum of Rs 2 lakh for those above 18 years of age and Rs 1 lakh for those below 18. Seventy people have been arrested for the violence in Seelampur on Wednesday.
As a precautionary measure 800 policemen, including 300 CRPF jawans, have been deployed in the area on Thursday.
The situation is coming back to normalcy, but the political establishment is sending signals that if need be they are willing to take the judiciary head on.
Union Urban Development minister Jaipal Reddy said the Government is ready to call for a special session of Parliament to overturn the court's ruling.
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Though traders are traditionally seen as the BJP's support group, the Congress quite clearly doesn't want to antagonise them and has appealed for calm.
Appealing to maintain law and order, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit said, "I would like to appeal for peace. Please, if you want to have a bandh or you want to protest, there are peaceful ways of doing this. And rest of Delhi did have peaceful bandh".
Chief Minster's son and East Delhi Congress MP Sandeep Dixit tried to explain the police action.
"There were unlawful elements in the crowd who created the law and order problem. As a result police had to use force," said Sandeep Dixit.
All eyes will now be on the government notification that comes up for hearing on September 25 in the Supreme Court, that stopped sealing of shops in some areas.
But with both the Supreme Court and the government sticking to their stand a face-off seems imminent.
(With inputs from IANS)
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