CITU protests to allow for Sunday Bazaar

Mangaluru: Condemning action against the Sunday Bazaar street vendors, a protest was held under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada District Street Vendors Association (affiliated with CITU) on Thursday, in front of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) office.

The protesters demanded that Sunday Bazaar trade be allowed to continue near the Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall in the city until an alternative arrangement is made.

Sunil Kumar Bajal, general secretary of CITU, said that Sunday Bazaars exist in every city across the country. However, certain vested interests are conspiring by portraying street vendors as criminals. He asserted that the street vendors would defeat this conspiracy through united struggle.

“Open opportunity must be given to the Sunday Bazaar near Town Hall until a permanent alternative is arranged, and if vendors are evicted under anyone’s pressure, the agitation will be intensified,” he warned.

BK Imthiyaz, honorary president of the association, emphasised that the Sunday Bazaar does not just involve the interests of the vendors, but also those of the consumers. He pointed out that officials should work according to the street vending laws, rather than acting under pressure from external forces.

Under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, there is no provision requiring vendors to apply for identity cards or certificates on their own. Instead, the rule dictates that the city corporation must visit the street vending zones, conduct a survey, get approval from the Town Vending Committee, and then issue identity cards and certificates. However, even though it has been 12 years since the law came into effect, not a single survey of Sunday Bazaar vendors has been conducted, and instead, atrocities are now being committed against them. Along with street vending, the city corporation must also respect the interests of the consumers, Imthiyaz said.

DYFI district secretary Santhosh Bajal and CITU district treasurer Yogish Jeppinamogaru addressed the gathering. Prior to the protest, a march was held from Ballalbagh Junction to the city corporation office. A memorandum was submitted to the MCC authorities on the occasion.