Top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, state president Aman Arora, and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, will be in Jalandhar on Saturday to attend two significant events.
Afternoon Programme with Traders
In the afternoon, the leaders will participate in a programme at Apeejay College of Fine Arts, organised by the Punjab State Traders' Commission. The commission will hear the grievances of traders and attempt to address their concerns. Invitations have been sent to various trader bodies and around 25 industrialists. A gathering of nearly 400 participants is expected.
Industry Demands
Members of the Federation of Industry and Trade (FIT), led by its president Sunil Sharma, are expected to attend the event. They will raise demands for complete exemption for small induction furnace units up to two tonnes per hour capacity from the mandatory installation of secondary air pollution control devices and secondary emission fume extraction systems.
They are also seeking the withdrawal of the requirement for a Rs 50,000 bank guarantee and mandatory PSCST technical evaluation for such small units. The members had recently met KK Yadav, Secretary of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Punjab, seeking waivers for the small scale industry.
Evening Bhajan Event
In the evening, all leaders will attend a bhajan event at the Sain Dass School grounds. Elaborate arrangements have been made at the venue. The event is primarily considered a show of AAP general secretary Deepak Bali, who has also been an aspirant for the Jalandhar Central Assembly seat.
Bali said, 'There will be 25-30 Hindu saints from across the state, including from Pathankot, Talwara, Ludhiana and Patiala, who will attend the event. All MLAs from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency will also be a part of it. I am expecting a gathering of 8,000-10,000 devotees. Arrangements for parking and langar have been made in the adjoining grounds of the school and at the grain market.'
Meanwhile, all shopkeepers around the area have been asked to keep their shutters down today and tomorrow in view of security arrangements.
