Patna Street Vendors Demonstrate against Evictions

The street vendors of Patna held a massive sit-in protest on 21 September against the BJP led Municipal Corporation’s illegal and forcible evictions. The vendors demanded proper implementation of the Street Vendors’ Act. They also criticised BJP MLAs and MP from Patna for not protecting vendors and the poor in the city.

The vendors demanded from the state government to intervene and take effective measures for rehabilitation of every street vendor. The Smart City Project has become a tool to attack their livelihoods.

The vendors are demanding to constitute the Vending Zones, provide licences and the permanent rehabilitation.

CPIML leader Mahboob Alam said that the attacks on the livelihoods of the poor will not be tolerated and if relief is not given to those displaced by the wrong policies, then the CPIML will intensify the struggles further. He also appealed to the common people, social and political activists, intellectuals and eminent citizens to come forward to defend the rights of city’s street vendors who provide various essential services to city dwellers at much cheaper costs and at the doorsteps. The permanent vending zones have not been provided for the vendors which is required by the law.