Traders at Jammu’s Warehouse Complex on Monday confronted a visiting delegation of BJP legislators over what they described as the party’s failure to raise their concerns following a devastating fire that gutted several shops on Diwali night.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the delegation, led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, had visited the wholesale market to express solidarity with the affected traders. However, Warehouse Traders Federation president Deepak Gupta questioned why BJP leaders, who frequently stage protests over various issues, had not held a dharna to demand justice for the fire victims.
“You always sit on dharna outside the Legislative Assembly, but why did you not hold a sit-in for those whose livelihood has been snatched on Diwali day?” Gupta asked Sharma.
He also questioned the BJP's ability to secure relief for the traders, referring to the October 25 fire at Shiv Market near Jammu railway station, where 29 shops were gutted.
Gupta said traders had lost confidence in assurances from both the government and the Opposition, adding that the business community would help the Shiv Market victims rebuild their lives.
The traders also raised concerns over the long-pending demand for 500 kanals of land to construct warehouses and godowns outside the city. Gupta told BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma that political positions were not permanent.
The fire at Warehouse Complex, one of Jammu's oldest wholesale markets, broke out around 9.15 pm on Sunday and quickly spread to adjoining establishments.
Meanwhile, commercial establishments and residential properties worth nearly Rs 100 crore were damaged in fire incidents at more than 60 locations across the Jammu division during Diwali celebrations.
Responding to the traders' concerns, Sunil Sharma announced that all 29 BJP MLAs would contribute from their Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to assist the affected shopkeepers. The party also constituted a six-member committee headed by MLA Sham Lal Sharma to assess the losses and take up demands for compensation and rehabilitation with the government.
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