Mangaluru: The CITU activists staged a protest inside the Mangaluru City Corporation against the MCC for not providing Identity cards to street vendors, here on April 1.
Addressing the protesters honorary President of CITU Sunil Kumar Bajal said that the street vendors are fighting for their rights since many years. The Mangaluru city corporation commissioner nor the Mayor is listening to their plea. According to the National policy on Urban street vendors 2009, the government of India is considering legislation for the promotion of livelihoods of the workers engaged in the unorganized sector. But the previous BJP government and the present congress government is against the street vendors. The City corporation instead of implementing the National policy is violating the law by raiding the street vendors and confiscating their belongings.
He also said that the Street Vendors have no income after MCC put the tiger concept in place. The street vendors were earning their daily bread by selling goods but now MCC has deprived them of earning their livelihood. Eighteen months ago the Town vending zone committee was formed and so far 4 meetings were held. During the meeting, the vending zone area was fixed and Identity cards were printed. From the past 6 months the vending committee meeting has not been called and the ID cards also have not been distributed to the vendors. During the raid the MCC officials have assaulted the street vendors which is against the law. The street vendors are not taking the law in their hands, infact the Commissioner, Mayor and the MCC officials have taken the law in their hands, this should be stopped, he said.
The protesters demanded to call for a town vending committee meeting immediately, distribute ID cards to all the street vendors, Strict action to be taken against the officers involved in assaulting the street vendors during the time of the raid, return the items taken forcibly from the street vendors during the raid and no raid should be conducted until the town vending committee meeting is held.
After getting the assurance from the Mangaluru city corporation officials to call for a meeting on April 15, the protest was called off.
President of DK Street Vendors Association (CITU) Mohammed Mustafa, treasurer Santosh Kumar and other street vendors were also present.
