Vendors hold protest against JMC over space issue

Workers of the Dogra Front and Shiv Sena along with a large number of “rehriwalas” (vendors) staged a protest against the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for allegedly pushing them to “deserted” corners of the city.
The irate protesters claimed that the militants who have surrendered after killing innocent people were being settled by the government by providing them money and land for their houses, but the poor vendors selling vegetables and fruits for the past 50 years were pushed where there was no footfall.
“The space which is being provided by the JMC to the rehriwalas near the Parade ground is a controversial place as the front portion belongs to shopkeepers. Three temporary structures with the business goods inside were demolished to make place for rehriwalas,” the protesters claimed.
One of the shopkeepers, namely Sita Ram, whose structure was demolished, stated that he would file a case in the court against the JMC. He alleged that the demolition was done without any prior notice.
Gupta stated that the second place which had been allotted to the “rehriwalas” was on the Matador stand near the Tawi, but when the “rehriwalas” reached the spot they were pushed out by the Matador operators saying that it belonged to the Matador Union.
Gupta demanded that the “rehriwalas” must be settled at those places where they could earn their livelihoods and they should be provided with the permanent place.