CITU protests eviction of street vendors

The Street Vendors Union, affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday, demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing eviction of street vendors from the Dhalli-Kufri stretch. The union accused the authorities of unjustly targeting poor vendors and violating their constitutional rights.

Following the protest, a delegation from the union met Shimla Police Superintendent Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, urging him to end the demolition drive. Addressing the gathering, CITU state president Vijender Mehra criticised the Forest Department, the National Highway officials and the Municipal Corporation, Shimla, for their alleged role in the eviction of street vendors not only from the Dhalli-Kufri stretch but also from areas like Lower Bazaar, Sanjauli and Himachal Pradesh University. He claimed that these actions openly violate Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court’s 2007 policy and the Street Vendors Act of 2014, which safeguard the rights of street vendors and prohibit their eviction.

Mehra further alleged that vendors operating in these areas for years are being harassed, their goods confiscated and manhandled by officials. “According to the Street Vendors Act, confiscated goods must be returned within two days, but this is not being followed. Instead, vendors are being unjustly pushed out of their livelihoods,” he said.

The union warned of a statewide strike if the harassment of vendors does not stop immediately. The protest aimed to highlight the plight of vendors who depend on these areas for their livelihoods and demand strict adherence to the laws protecting their rights.