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Sharp differences in Trinamul over hawker eviction drive

As the police and civic body staff launched a joint exercise, dismantling unauthorised structures and making 736 arrests, the Trinamul Congress described the drive against hawkers as a 'hasty decision' and appealed to the mayor to take up rehabilitation measures for the evicted.

There was no untoward incident during the drive, but it caused massive traffic snarls.

In a signed statement, party president Subrata Bakshi and four other leaders criticised the hawker eviction drive terming it as 'counter-productive' and contrary to the party's 'commitment to the people'.

They appealed to the mayor to chalk out a 'definite rehabilitation strategy' for the hawkers through discussions with all sections of the people.

Contacted, the mayor ruled out any rehabilitation for the hawkers and asserted that the eviction drive would continue.

He said that he had neither been pressurised by the Trinamul Congress nor 'directed' by party chairperson Mamata Banerjee to put the drive on hold.

The party said in the past too, it had opposed the eviction of hawkers and launched a movement under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. "We demand rehabilitation measures be first adopted. This will require detailed discussions. Any hasty decision will only prove harmful to society," it said.

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