An eviction drive in Sribhumi’s bustling Santar Bazar area has ignited public outrage over perceived double standards within the local administration. Small-scale vendors faced forcible removal due to alleged encroachments, while senior officials conducting the operation were spotted taking breaks to eat breakfast from nearby stalls during regular duty hours.
The eviction, which was a joint effort by the municipal board and district administration, aimed to eliminate unauthorized vending activities that authorities claimed were causing traffic congestion and improper use of public spaces. The operation saw a considerable presence of security forces, including local police, CRPF personnel, commandos, and women police officers.
Despite the scale of this eviction, civic authorities made no provisions to rehabilitate the evicted vendors, most of whom depend on these informal businesses for their families’ livelihoods. Public frustration intensified when senior officials were seen casually enjoying puri-sabzi from street vendors while the eviction process was underway. Sources have indicated that the officials justified their actions by claiming that missing breakfast could adversely affect their health.
Critics were quick to point out that while senior officers enjoyed meals, junior officers-particularly women constables and field staff-were obliged to continue their duties without any acknowledgment or relief. This dichotomy has sparked criticism from civil society and political groups, with accusations of an elitist mindset among senior officials while ignoring the needs of vulnerable populations and frontline workers.
Shubhajit Chakraborty, General Secretary of the State unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), condemned the incident, labeling it “a textbook example of hypocrisy in governance.” Chakraborty questioned the government’s selective empathy, stating, “On one hand, poor families are being evicted without alternative arrangements, and on the other hand, senior officials are enjoying breakfast mid-operation. The double standard is not just unfair-it’s inhumane.”
Activists have since called for the implementation of vendor rehabilitation programs and demanded equitable working conditions and consideration for lower-ranked officers assigned to such operations.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/video/eviction-drive-in-assams-sribhumi-vendors-evicted-while-officials-take-food-breaks-1240269-2025-07-06?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-07-06 14:32:00
