IMPHAL, June 22: Police thwarted street vendors led by Potsangbam Shyamashakhi Devi, President of Khwairamband Keithel Lambi-Mataida Potpham Phambi Lup (KKLPPL) in their attempt to submit memorandums to Governor Gurbachan Jagat and the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Woman street vendors led by the President, KKLPPL gathered at a spot opposite Uripok Cheirap Court Complex and on the northern side of the fly over and proceeded holding a banner.When the street vendors came close to Shamu Makhong after crossing the Maharani bridge, three police personnel led by an Assistant Sub-Inspector of City Police Station deployed at the spot tried to stop them. They came following the street vendors who came shouting that the government should provide vending spaces to street vendors upto BT Road Gambhi Singh Shopping Arcade.
However, additional police force controlled and stopped the street vendors and the vendors were thwarted in their attempt to proceed to the bungalows of the Governor and Chief Minister.
In connection with today’s rally, P. Shyamashakhi Devi, President of KKLPPL said that 60 MLAs should have a vision. What leads to the increase in street vendors day by day? Do we come out for luxury? We are trying to bring our children up to serve the country in a proper manner with our proceeds without troubling the government, she added.
She appealed to the government to find out the root cause of the problem of street vendors and make plans so that the problems of street vendors are not repeated again.
She demanded to provide vending spaces along the area where government offices are located behind Gambhir Singh Shopping Arcade and in front of the temporary shed if the 1st floors of new three markets are not provided to them while appealing to shift the government departments to Sana Keithel where the paperwork at the table can be done quietly.
By making the remark that if street vendors vend their wares along the street, other women inside the markets have no proceeds, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi avoided their issue so as to make women vendors fight with each other, she noted. It is very unfortunate that such remark was made by the leader of the state, she said. Continuing with her speech she pointed out that it is favouritism.