Samajwadi Party alleges traders being harassed, crushed under BJP rule in UP

A divisional conference of traders organised by the Samajwadi Party Trade Assembly in Gonda on Thursday witnessed sharp attacks on the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh, with national president of the assembly Manish Jagan Agarwal alleging that traders across the state are being harassed, looted and crushed under the current dispensation.

The PDA Trader Divisional Conference was held at the Town Hall in Gandhi Park, Gonda, from 12 noon to 3 pm. The event saw the participation of thousands of traders from all four districts of the Devipatan division: Gonda, Balrampur, Shravasti and Bahraich.

Manish Jagan Agarwal, national president of the Samajwadi Trade Assembly, arrived as the chief guest. He was accompanied by state president Pradeep Jaiswal, Purvanchal in-charge Vijay Jaiswal and state secretary Dr Ajay Chaurasia. All four leaders were welcomed by traders from across the Devipatan division and Samajwadi Party leaders.

Among the prominent Samajwadi Party leaders present at the conference were SP leader Suraj Singh, former minister Yogesh Pratap Singh, SP district president Arshad Hussain, former minister with cabinet rank Sanjay Vidyarthi, and Gonda SP Trade Assembly district president Devendra Singh. Traders from across the entire Devipatan division participated in the conference.

Addressing the traders, national president Manish Jagan Agarwal said that today the work of harassing traders is being done. The business of traders has completely come to a standstill under the government, cases are being filed against traders and traders are being looted. The government is cheating traders by bringing laws against them, he alleged. When the Samajwadi Party government is formed, all the problems of traders will be resolved, he promised. The work of protecting traders will be done and efforts will be made to bring back the business of traders in Ayodhya that was finished, he said. The government is completely submerged in corruption and is doing the work of harassing traders, Agarwal charged.

Speaking to the media, Samajwadi Trade Assembly national president Manish Jagan Agarwal said that traders across Uttar Pradesh are troubled and distressed. This BJP government has looted Lord Ram and has also looted our traders, he alleged. The police itself has become the biggest criminal today, he said, citing an incident in Shahjahanpur where policemen looted a trader. Uttar Pradesh has become a hub of organised political crime, where crimes are happening under the protection of the government and BJP leaders, looting is taking place, and traders are being treated like raisins: squeezed and chewed, he said. Traders now need to become iron chickpeas, he added.

Taking aim at cabinet minister Omprakash Rajbhar, Agarwal said that he stays awake all night, which is why he is tired in the morning, and that is why what he speaks, he himself does not know what he is saying. These people have looted Lord Ram and now it is the turn of Lord Krishna, he remarked.

On the fake pass-making racket in Ayodhya, Trade Assembly national president Manish Jagan Agarwal said that earlier people did physical fraud, now the BJP is doing digital fraud. The Samajwadi Party government will be formed, Akhilesh Yadav will become chief minister, and every single incident will be exposed: no matter who is involved, no one will be spared, he promised. We also promise that there will be a comprehensive investigation into the theft of donations for Lord Ram and the entire matter will be exposed, he said.

Thousands of traders from all four districts, Gonda, Balrampur, Shravasti and Bahraich, remained present during the programme, underscoring the significance of the gathering for the opposition party ahead of the assembly elections.