Date:11/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/11/stories/2006111120580300.htm

New Delhi

Cong. accused of lacking statecraft

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Accusing the Congress of lacking statecraft and leading to the present crises arising out of sealing, Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Arun Jaitly on Friday said the party had submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a "positive suggestion'' ahead of the winter session of Parliament to provide relief to the traders.

Flanked by Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Jagdish Mukhi, the senior BJP leader said since Delhi has a population of 1.5 crore and people need economic activity to survive, it has been demanded that the Centre immediately amend Section 355-A of the MCD Act 1957 as under this section only those properties can be sealed where unauthorised construction has been done.

"By virtue of this the Court will get a way to provide relief from sealing and lakhs of people shall be saved from closing down their business,'' he said.