Hawkers’ eviction causes rift in Trinamool

And it was the issue of providing rehabilitation of the hawkers that drove the wedge between the two groups led on one side by the Mayor and Mayor-in-Council Mala Roy and on the other side Shovon Dev Chattopadhyay, leader of Trinamool Congress Legislature Party and a known Mukherjee detractor. “While we believe that eviction of hawkers was important for a better life in the city, no one can deny the question of rehabilitation to the thousands of hawkers who will starve along with the family after they are deprived of their livelihood,” Chattopadhyay told this reporter.

And the Mayor harped on the point that if the CMC had to provide rehabilitation it will prove to be major drain in the civic body’s coffers. “For example, I have got Rs 34 crore for cleansing Adi Ganga (Tolly’s Nullah) but for that if I have to rehabilitate all those staying in shanties on the banks of the canal, all my money will be gone,” Mukherjee said.

According to sources close to the Mayor, Mukherjee was very unhappy the way Mamata treated the issue. “He is very unhappy that the Trinamool leader did not feel it necessary to call him to stop the drive, instead she called junior leaders to ask Subrata to stop it,” one leader, requesting anonymity, said. He also said that Mukherjee was also bitter the way his party meddled with the administration of the corporation.

Tomorrow Mamata is scheduled to come to the city to attend the Kali puja to be held at her house on October 26. She will sit with her party leaders to hammer out a solution of the thorny problem, it has been learnt.