DPCC PRESIDENT SHRI AJAY MAKEN TO SIT ON DHARNA AT JANTAR MANTER ON AUGUST 12

DPCC PRESIDENT SHRI AJAY MAKEN TO SIT ON DHARNA AT JANTAR MANTER ON AUGUST 12 IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMANDS OF STREET VENDORS.

NEW DELHI, August 10—Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Shri Ajay Maken, along with thousands of street vendors, will sit on a day-long hunger strike from 11 a.m at Jantar Mantar on August 12 in support of the demands of the street vendors of Delhi (rehri-patri vendors).

Over 5 lakh street vendors of Delhi have not yet been issued licenses despite the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 passed by Parliament on March 5, 2014 under the UPA Government. The Act is intended to protect the rights of urban street vendors, who number over 2.50 crore across the country, to regulate street vending activities and for matters connected therewith.

The Congress-ruled Uttarkhand Government is one of the three States in the country to have implemented the Act, which facilitates the trade of the street vendors  hassle-free.

Shri Ajay Maken will sit on hunger strike to press the demands of the street vendors  for the immediate implementation of the Street Vendors’ Act, license to street vendors and weekly bazaar traders, to free the street vendors from exploitation by the Municipal authorities and the police and street vendors should be given license to run the Aam Aadmi Canteen.

It may be recalled that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised during the Delhi Assembly elections that it would prepare a scheme within three months after coming to power to implement the Street Vendors’ Act, but even after being in power for over six months, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government has not taken any step to give license to the street vendors to legalize their trade.

Addressing a joint press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan, here today, DPCC Shadow Department members Ragini Nayak and Prerna Singh, Delhi Rehri Patri Evam Asangathit Kamgar Congress chairman Anurag Shankar, National Coordinator of the Street Vendors Arbind Singh and Narela street vendors’ leader Sagar Yadav, said licensing the street vendors would enable them to earn their livelihood in dignity without any harassment by the authorities. They said the tall promises made by Kejriwal have now turned out to be hollow, as the street vendors face tremendous harassment to ply their trade as the  AAP Government has not taken any step to formulate any scheme to provide license to the street vendors. They said the AAP party has not honoured its promise, as there is a big difference in their words and deeds.