Kolkata, June 9 -- Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam has urged the Union Railway Ministry to immediately stop the ongoing eviction and removal of hawkers and small vendors from Railway stations across West Bengal, alleging that the drive is being carried out without any comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
In a letter addressed to Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Islam expressed "strongest protest and deep concern" over the eviction of vendors from various railway stations. He stated that for generations, railway stations have not only functioned as transit hubs but have also provided livelihoods to thousands of poor and marginalised families engaged in small-scale vending activities.
The MP argued that hawkers form an integral part of the informal economy and provide affordable services to passengers while sustaining their families through honest labour. According to him, the ongoing eviction drive has rendered countless families vulnerable to economic hardship and created anxiety among affected vendors and local communities.
Islam contended that depriving economically weaker citizens of their sole source of livelihood without offering a viable alternative is neither just nor acceptable. He stressed that administrative action should be guided by the principles of humanity, social justice and rehabilitation rather than mere displacement.
He called on the Railway Ministry to halt all eviction drives, conduct a comprehensive review of the existing policy in consultation with elected representatives and recognised hawkers' organisations, and formulate a time-bound rehabilitation and resettlement scheme before undertaking any further eviction.
He also demanded that no individual be deprived of livelihood without due process, adequate notice and meaningful rehabilitation, asserting that policies affecting vulnerable sections of society must balance operational requirements with social responsibility.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.