Facing flak from both within the Congress and outside over minister Vikramaditya Singh's announcement on mandatory display of names by street vendors, the Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday said no such decision has been taken.
Singh, the state Public Works and Urban development minister, had on Wednesday told media that it would be mandatory for street vendors, especially those selling food items, to display their identity cards at their shops.
The decision, he had said, was taken on the lines of the one taken by the Uttar Pradesh government.
The directive did not go down well with a section of the party's leaders, which slammed the decision and demanded its revocation.
Sources said the central leadership intervened in the matter following which the state government’s clarification came.
AICC in-charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajiv Shukla said he has discussed the issue with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh.
He said the matter sprang from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly forming a committee to designate specific areas for street vendors, including those selling food and other items.
"They will be given licences and regulated so that police do not harass them. The designated places will require identification such as Aadhaar cards and licences, but there is no requirement for them to display a sign stating their name as the owner,” Shukla told reporters in Jammu.
“The aim is to ensure that street vendors have proper locations to operate without disrupting traffic, especially since it is a hilly area and has narrow roads...," he said.
The veteran Congress leader also debunked the notion that the HP govt took a leave from UP in forging the policy.
"This is not on Yogi pattern, as those things are done in UP on communal pattern, which is not the case here. I want to clarify that the government has not given any such order... they (government or Vikramaditya) have not been reprimanded," Shukla said.
Vikramaditya Singh was in Delhi on Thursday and participated as as a panellist in the National Urban Convention 2024 organised by the Praja Foundation.
A spokesperson of state government said that numerous suggestions have been received from different sections of society regarding the street vendor's policy.
"So far, the government has not taken any decision to mandatorily display nameplates or other identification by the vendors on their stalls," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that a committee, consisting of both Congress and BJP MLAs, has already been constituted to address the matter. The committee would review suggestions of stakeholders before submitting its recommendations to the state government.
The spokesperson said after the submission, the Cabinet would evaluate them before making any final decision.
Earlier, a number of of Congress leaders slammed the decision announced by Vikramaditya Singh.
Former Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister T S Singhdeo said, "I don't agree with this. What's the need of it? A street vendor can sell clothes, towels, bedsheets, etc, and is promoting a particular brand. Why would one need to write his or her name? (Street vendor) should display the items which they are selling. If I am selling something, I will mention what I am selling why would I write T S Singhdeo." He said the such shops are already under the purview of local civic bodies , which anyway require them to register their establishments.
"There is no need for caste or religion in it. The hawkers come under vendors act, they get a token and there registration is with the local body. How can display of name be important," Singhdeo told PTI videos.
Asked about such a trend catching up, Singhdeo said, "This happened in Uttar Pradesh. During the Kanwar Yatra, also it was done to ensure that kanwars don't have food from people from minoritiy communities or Muslims' eateries ... What happened in UP, they (BJP) lost in Ayodhya and PM in his own election, won by just 1.5 lakh, so the voters gave a message that they dont want such polarising politics." Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai said, "This will harass the street vendors, and this order should be revoked immediately. This will promote inspector raj."
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