Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's comment equating union home minister Amit Shah with 'dishonest and lying' traders has been criticised by retailers and traders who have asked him to apologise for the statement.
Talking about the abrogation of Article 370, Raut said at a press conference on Monday that Shah tells lies like traders. "Amit Shah is lying. Traders lie for profits and adulterate goods. Shopkeepers lie for their profits; they cheat customers," Raut had said.
Raut's remarks were made in response to a speech Shah made at an election rally in Sangli a few days ago when he said that the abrogation of Article 370, which had given special status in the Indian Union to Jammu and Kashmir, was permanent and will not be brought back.
Traders have reacted to Raut's statement with anger. The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), an association of retailers, said in a statement, 'Shri Sanjay Raut statement against traders they all traders are cheater and chor. Traders condemn such statement and ask for apology to traders of Maharashtra or face the anger of traders.'
Viren Shah, President of FRTWA, said that traders paid the maximum GST and had risked their lives by delivering groceries and medicines at homes during the covid lockdown. "You cannot forget this service; perhaps Raut had forgotten this. Do not drag traders into your politics," said Shah, who has appealed to MVA leaders Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Prithviraj Chavan, Supriya Sule, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to issue a statement disassociating themselves from Raut's statement.
"I request them to issue a statement that these were Raut's personal views," added Shah. Traders that they number more than 1.2 million in the state and belong to different religions and castes, including Marathi speakers. The mindset shows that MVA is not looking for any support from traders.
The BJP has also condemned the remarks against traders. Party leader told a television channel that Raut was ''a master at spreading lies'. He said that Shiv Sena, with Raut, has joined hands with the Congress and surrendered its ideals.
