Gonda: The PDA Samajwadi Vyapari Sammelan of the Devipatan division was organised at the Town Hall in Gandhi Park on Thursday on the directions of Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav. Samajwadi Vyapar Sabha national president Manish Jagan Agrawal attended the event as the chief guest, while state president Pradeep Jaiswal was also present. Traders, party leaders and office-bearers from across the division participated in the conference.
Traders raised concerns over GST, alleged extortion, challenges posed by online commerce and the regularisation of street vendors and cart-based businesses. They alleged that corruption and exploitation were affecting the trading community.
Speaking to journalists, Agrawal alleged that traders across Uttar Pradesh were distressed and claimed that the BJP government had exploited both traders and religious sentiments surrounding Lord Ram. He further alleged that GST and other mechanisms were being used to harass traders and accused the police of contributing to the alleged exploitation.
He also alleged that Uttar Pradesh had become a hub of organised political crime under the protection of those in power. Claiming that the Samajwadi Party would contest the elections strongly and form the government, he said the party would hold those responsible for wrongdoing accountable if it came to power.
Targeting the BJP over allegations concerning the Ram temple, Agrawal said, “The BJP was doing physical fraud earlier, now it is doing digital fraud.” He alleged irregularities involving donations and offerings at the Ram temple, including claims of theft of valuables. The allegations were made at the political conference and were not independently established in the material provided.
Pradeep Jaiswal said traders would receive the highest respect under a future Samajwadi Party government.
District president Arshad Hussain, former minister Yogesh Pratap, former MLC Mahfooz Khan, Sanjay Savita, Sarfaraz Hussain, Vijay Jaiswal and Shamim Achchan also addressed the gathering. A large number of traders, party workers and supporters attended the conference.
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