In Jadavpur, India, the Jadavpur Station authority tried to demolish the shops of Jadavpur's hawkers, street vendors or itinerant traders who sell unbranded goods, fresh produce, or food directly to the public. CPI(M) stood in the bulldozers' way. They were forced to retreat.
CPI(M) leads prevention of vendors' shops' demolition
The night of June 2-3 witnessed a determined struggle led by the CPI(M) to defend the shops of the hawkers of Jadavpur Station. Acting on eviction notices issued by the railway authorities, bulldozers arrived to carry out the demolition and eviction drive. At this critical moment, CPI(M) State Committee members Srijan Bhattacharya and Sudip Snegupta took the lead, standing firmly alongside the hawkers and their families. Led by CPI(M) leader Srijan Bhattacharyya, a large number of Left workers gathered at the station premises carrying placards and raising slogans against the proposed eviction.
Joined by local residents and advocate Shamim Ahamad, they physically blocked the bulldozers and resisted the eviction attempt. The decisive intervention of the CPI(M) forced the authorities to back down. The bulldozers ultimately had to retreat.
According to www.mathrubhumi.com, the protesters maintained that no demolition should be carried out without first ensuring rehabilitation and alternative livelihood arrangements for those affected.
Speaking to officials at the site, Srijan Bhattacharyya argued that residents and traders could not be removed without proper rehabilitation. Referring to a court ruling, he said those living or conducting business in the area were entitled to rehabilitation and alternative means of livelihood before any eviction process could proceed. “According to the 1988 judgment, people residing or doing business here cannot be removed without providing alternative arrangements. We are pursuing a legal battle on this issue,” Bhattacharyya said.
Advocate Shamim Ahmed was also present and reportedly held multiple rounds of discussions with police officials while presenting relevant legal documents.
As tensions continued through the night, Left activists announced that they were prepared to stage an overnight sit-in alongside the hawkers to prevent any demolition. Following prolonged discussions, railway and police officials decided not to proceed with the operation.
Bhattacharyya later claimed that officials had informed protesters that no immediate action was planned in the coming days. He said further discussions would be held regarding the station premises and traders' concerns. Railway sources, however, maintained that efforts to clear alleged encroachments around the station have been under consideration for a long time. Officials reportedly blamed delays in the process on a lack of cooperation from the previous state government. For now, the withdrawal of the bulldozers has brought temporary relief to hawkers at Jadavpur station, though uncertainty remains over the future of the proposed eviction drive.
Photo: www.mathrubhumi.com