Himachal takes a U-turn on mandatory display of identity of street vendors

A government spokesperson, in a statement, said no decision to make it mandatory for street vendors to display their identity cards has been taken so far.

A day after a State Cabinet Minister said that it had been decided to make it mandatory for street vendors to display their identity cards, the Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday (September 26) stated that no such decision had been taken so far.

In a statement released from Shimla, a government spokesperson said, “Numerous suggestions have been received from different sections of society regarding the street vendors policy. So far, the government has not taken any decision to mandatorily display nameplates or other identification by the vendors on their stalls.”

The statement said the government was committed to address the concerns of street vendors and would consider all the suggestions carefully before taking any decision.

A seven-member committee, which includes legislators from the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been constituted to address the matter. “The Committee would review suggestions of various stakeholders, before submitting its recommendations to the State government. Once their detailed recommendations are submitted, the Cabinet would carefully evaluate them before making any final decisions on the matter,” it added.

Taken by surprise, the Congress ‘high command’ downplayed the issue. In Jammu, talking to journalists on the issue, Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla said, “...relating this matter to Yogi (referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) pattern is not right as they do things surrounding politics and communal basis. Here (Himachal) there’s no such a thing.” He said in Himachal Pradesh, a committee has been set up to look into the issues of street vendors and its purpose is to regulate the street vendors and no order has been issued regarding display of any name of identity.

State Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday (September 25) said that it had decided that street vendors in the State, especially eateries, would have to display their identity cards. He even cited the Uttar Pradesh government’s recent decision on display of identity. Mr. Singh said that the decision was taken at a joint meeting of the Urban Development Department and the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

He said one reason behind the decision was “apprehensions” expressed by several locals about the rising number of migrants in the State.

Earlier this month, the State capital Shimla witnessed a series of protests by locals over the construction of a mosque in Shimla’s Sanjauli area who demanded its demolition. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had assured the Assembly that a policy would be made to regulate street vendors.

Published - September 26, 2024 08:15 pm IST