MNS bashing north Indians with CM's tacit support: Congress

Mumbai: The controversy over illegal hawkers has escalated further with the Congress alleging that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is targeting north Indians in the city on the pretext of taking action against vendors, with tacit support from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

A delegation of city Congress leaders, led by Mr Nirupam, called on Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Ajoy Mehta on Tuesday and demanded that city hawkers be rehabilitated properly by the civic body before taking action against them.

Mr Nirupam later made a scathing attack on the MNS and Mr Fadnavis. “The MNS has indulged in hooliganism against city hawkers. They have no right to remove vendors from city roads. On the pretext of taking action against hawkers, they are targeting North Indians with tacit support from the CM,” he said.

The Congress leader said that the BMC has long since stopped issuing licenses for hawkers and illegal hawkers should be removed from the railway station areas and foot overbridges. But before that, they should be rehabilitated properly, he said.

Mr Nirupam alleged that the ruling Shiv Sena and its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are deliberately not implementing hawkers’ policy in the city to protect illegal hawkers.  “According to city population, about 3-3.5 lakh hawkers can be rehabilitated in the city. But the policy has not been implemented for the last three and half years. Sena, BJP and municipal commissioner have not yet formed town-vending committees for hawkers,” said Mr Nirupam.