Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalism is fake and urged traders not to fall in his trap again.
Addressing the media here, Kejriwal also said that "tax terrorism" had destroyed business in the country. He urged Delhi's traders to give all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to end sealing.
"When we talk to traders, they say Modi government has ruined them but some of them say there is a dilemma. They still want to go with Modi due to nationalism. I want to tell them Modi's nationalism is fake and it is a deception.
"Modi's nationalism is pseudo nationalism based on an illusion. I want to tell the traders that you are educated and responsible. Do not fall for this illusionary trap. Come out of it and see the reality."
He said in Delhi, traders have been ruined by sealing.
He also said during the last few days he met several traders and their organisations from across Delhi.
"They have been telling me that throughout their lives, they have been with the BJP and have consistently voted for the BJP."
But now the traders were unhappy and hurt the way the Modi government had treated them and broken the backbone of the country's economy with demonetization and GST.
Kejriwal said the Central government had unleashed terror on traders.
"On the one hand, the Modi government has let loose its agencies on political opponents, whether it is me, Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu and others," he said, adding that on the other hand it has unleashed IT and ED on traders across India.
"Income Tax and ED notices are going to all traders across the country. Thousands and lakhs of notices are going. This is all done to extort money. In one way, there is tax terrorism in the country and it has destroyed business and financial system of the country.
"Go after the corrupt, don't send notice to every trader and create an atmosphere as if all traders are corrupt. 99 per cent people want to work with honesty, but the system makes them helpless. The system has to be improved," he said.
He said in Delhi sealing had led to closure of many shops and factories, caused numerous job losses and heaped misery on traders.
"I'll stop sealing. Make our hands strong in the central government, we will help Delhi's traders," Kejriwal said.
"You supported Modi till now, what did you get? Now build a relationship with Kejriwal, he will honour the relationship with you till his last breath."
He again said that the attack on him was done as he questions the Prime Minister's Pakistan policy.
"Modi has secret and deep relationship with Pakistan. When questions are raised about it, Modi gets the Chief Minister attacked. How can a Prime Minister who gets an elected Chief Minister attacked be a nationalist?" he asked.
On Saturday evening, Kejriwal was slapped during a road show in Moti Nagar. The AAP has alleged that BJP and Modi were behind the attack.
Delhi Police had said that the accused had been a supporter of AAP, which has been denied by the AAP.
Delhi is to vote on May 12.
--IANS
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