Hawkers burn Supriyo’s effigy, set fire to BJP office

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The hawkers had been disallowed from doing business at the station for the past several months. They claimed they had met Supriyo, who represents Asansol in Lok Sabha, four days ago, but he had not given them any assurance.

They claimed that evicting them suddenly without a rehabilitation programme will leave over 2,000 hawkers without a livelihood. “We have been facing this for the last six months. We are being fined a huge amount if caught by Rail officials,” said Mohammed Sohail, a hawker.

The blaze at the party office, a temporary structure, was doused by a fire engine, which rushed to the spot and nobody was injured as the office was empty, police said.

Following the incident, BJP workers, under party district president Nirmal Karmakar, blocked BT Road demanding the arrest of those involved in the incident.

Karmakar, when contacted, said none of the protesters were party workers but trouble-mongers. “BJP flags can be purchased in the market. That doesn’t make them BJP workers. They could be cadres of other parties. We demand immediate arrest of the offenders,” The blockade was withdrawn after the police promised to take steps within 48 hours.

When contacted, Supriyo claimed Trinamool Congress was behind the incident. “Those acting in such an unruly manner cannot be true BJP workers. I believe they have been instigated by Trinamool to do whatever they did. I have spoken to senior officials about rehabilitation of hawkers but the illegal ones cannot be encouraged. I must look for a logical solution to the inconveniences faced by commuters instead of always look for a political gain,” he said.

He added that while hawkers should be treated with compassion, illegal hawking cannot be allowed. “Passengers should not be discomforted by hawkers… One has to strike the right balance between allowing hawkers to operate and help passengers have a smooth travel,” said Supriyo.

District Trinamool leader V Shivdasan, however, denied that the party was involved in the incident. “Trinamool workers don’t hit the streets with political flags of other parties. The ones who agitated were BJP workers,” he said.