Congress pitches to protect hawkers' right, meets officials

City Congress leaders today came forward to protect the rights of hawkers and demanded action against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) "goons" who are taking law into their hands and forcefully driving vendors away from various railway stations.
Congress MLA Naseem Khan along with hawkers and their representatives met police commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar today and demanded action against MNS "goons" who are beating and driving away hawkers from near the railway station premises.
Yesterday, MNS leaders had met Padsalgikar and sought action against illegal hawkers operating near railway stations.
Later speaking to media, Khan said, "I apprised the police commissioner on how MNS goondas are terrorising the hawkers and destroying their goods by taking law into their hands while policemen are silent spectators.

"I also demanded arrest of such political hooligans and protection to the hawkers from MNS workers."
Khan, however, clarified that he did not support illegal hawking on the city streets and on railway premises.

"If there are such (illegal) hawkers, then action should be taken by the competent authorities like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), police or railways," said the MLA.
Khan said, "I apprised the police commissioner that all hawkers are not illegal and Supreme Court has ruled to regularise them."
Later Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam met BMC chief Ajoy Mehta and submitted him a letter informing him of the harassment to hawkers and delay in regularising them.

"The BMC is conveniently turning a blind eye to the Street Vendors Protection (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014, which essentially gives rights to street hawkers as well as licences.
"But surprisingly, not a single survey has been carried out in the past three-and-half years, though the Act mandates the BMC to carry out at least one survey every five-years," Nirupam said.
"The BMC is shielding the goons who are vandalising the property of hawkers. We demand that the hawkers should be able to do their business with dignity," said Nirupam.
In the wake of Elphinstone station stampede, MNS workers have launched a tirade against the hawkers and have been driving them away from nearby railway stations by destroying their valuables.