Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Punjab government was working to resolve the problems of traders and shopkeepers through the Punjab State Traders Commission, while alleging that previous governments ignored their concerns.Arvind Kejriwal also called attention to persistent criminal activities in the state. (ANI Video Grab/File)Speaking at a meeting of the commission in Jalandhar alongside Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal described small traders as the backbone of the economy and said the commission was designed to ensure that their grievances reach the government directly.What Kejriwal saidSmall traders are the backbone of Punjab’s economyPunjab State Traders Commission has been set up at state, district and constituency levelsAround 800 markets have been identified across the stateTraders’ complaints are forwarded directly to the Chief Minister’s Office“To ensure that the voice of a small trader reaches the Chief Minister directly, we created the Punjab State Traders Commission,” Kejriwal said.He claimed extortion faced by traders under previous governments had ended during the AAP government’s tenure.Remarks on law and orderKejriwal also spoke about gangsters and drug trafficking, alleging that criminal networks had emerged under previous governments.“One gangster still remains, Lawrence Bishnoi. He is sitting in Sabarmati Jail. He is the son-in-law of the ED Party and enjoys its protection,” he said.The AAP chief further alleged that a large share of narcotics entering Punjab now comes from Gujarat and referred to past drug seizures at Mundra Port.The BJP has repeatedly rejected allegations of misusing central agencies and maintains that investigative agencies function independently in accordance with the law.Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also present at the meeting.