PM’s Helicopter Matters

Sandeep Pandey

According to Section 2(1)C of The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, “natural market” means a market where sellers and buyers have traditionally congregated for the purchase and sale of products or services and has been determined as such by the local authority on the recommendations of the Town Vending Committee.

In Lanka, Varanasi outside Banaras Hindu University from the main gate to Naria Road about 50 vendors have been doing business for decades and would qualify for being called a ‘natural market.’ They have receipts dated 1985 when BHU used to charge Rs 62 as fees from them for 6 months. These vendors provide the useful service of making food items available to patients and their caretakers behind the wall in Sir Sunderlal Hospital of BHU. However, since Narendra Modi has become a Member of Parliament from Varanasi it has been a painful saga for them. First, they were removed for about a week every time the PM’s helicopter landed in BHU. They suffered tremendous losses due to this. They have also asked the PMO to compensate for the loss due to the PM’s arrival in Varanasi. Since G-20 events were organized in the city their life has become even more difficult.

From the Lanka crossing to Naria Road a vending zone with a capacity of 150 has been identified. Chintamani Seth and fellow vendors have been issued vending certificates after a survey. 54 of these vendors were also chosen to receive loans under the PM Swanidi scheme. Hence, it is quite clear that these vendors were doing their business legally.

On 21 October, 2023 an Additional DM in violation of the Street Vendors Act, 2014 and U.P. Street Vendors Rules, 2017 wrote a letter prohibiting vending carts on the road from BHU main gate to Naria because this road is used for VIP movement. The trouble for vendors began after this letter was written.

On 28 December, 2023 police and municipal officials arrived without any notice and confiscated the material and carts of about 20 vendors.

On 3 September 2024 again the vendors were brutally beaten and removed from Lanka. Chintamani Seth has also now been removed from the Town Vending Committee. After a dharna on 9 October at the zonal office of the Municipal Corporation in Bhelupur Joint Municipal Commissioner agreed to carts being set up at Lanka from the next day. However, the police did not allow the vendors to carry out their business. 

Narendra Modi takes credit for giving loans to vendors under the PM Swanidhi scheme by putting up big hoardings; however, on the ground in his constituency vendors are being evicted.

 (Sandeep Pandey is General Secretary, Socialist Party–India)

Back to Home Page

Frontier
Vol 57, No. 32, Feb 2 - 8, 2025