Protesting against the eviction of over a hundred vegetable vendors and hawkers from the Nehru Market lane by the city corporation on Thursday, the Vegetable Vendors’ Association has called for an indefinite strike by suspending retail and wholesale selling. Besides this, they have also called for a bandh in the city on Tuesday.
Announcing this at a press conference on Saturday, Salim Mundewadi, the president of the association, said the corporation’s action has left them with no option but to go on a strike.
He said the authorities began removing the shops without giving any notice or time. “We have been doing business here for over five decades. But one fine day, the corporation comes up with heavy machines and starts removing our shops,” he said.
Alternative place
Referring to the assurance given by Deputy Commissioner Y.S. Patil of providing vendors an alternative place, Mr. Mundewadi asked why it was not given before the eviction began.
Congress leader Abdul Hamid Mushrif said the district administration should have made proper alternative arrangements. He called for people’s support by participating in the bandh on Tuesday.
Asifullah Khadri, the advocate who is representing the vendors at the Kalaburagi bench of the Karnataka High Court, said the eviction of the businesses amounted to violation of the Municipal Act. He said the commissioner had to obtain permission of the Regional Commissioner, but he hadn’t.
He said since the High Court had stayed eviction on this lane, a contempt of court case would be filed.
Prices shoot up
Many people found it extremely difficult to get their supply of vegetables as the businesses near Bara Kaman, Kabraji Bazar and Nehru Market remained closed, following the call for indefinite strike by the vegetable vendors. Prices of vegetables in the other markets shot up — tomato was being sold at ₹50 to ₹80 a kilo.
